Golkar buys more time in Akbar's inquiry
Golkar buys more time in Akbar's inquiry
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Golkar managed to buy more time to further lobby its position
on Thursday by succeeding in delaying the House of
Representatives Consultative Body's decision on whether to
propose a special investigation into the alleged misuse of State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds by Akbar Tandjung.
Barring yet another postponement, the body will decide on
Monday if the proposal for a House special committee on the
alleged corruption by the Golkar chief and House speaker should
be brought to a plenary House session.
The delay, however, was not all that surprising as Golkar's
lobbying in the past week had shown signs of making political
headway by convincing other factions that a special committee was
unnecessary.
Should the Consultative Body and eventually the House in a
plenary session agree to the proposal for an investigation, the
results could be politically damaging to Golkar as it sets its
eyes on the 2004 election.
After a lengthy three-hour afternoon debate, the body, chaired
by House deputy speaker Muhaimin Iskandar, could only agree to
postpone their decision.
Despite only occupying 18-seats in the 76-strong Consultative
Body, Golkar clearly wielded great influence.
Support for Golkar's rejection of the proposal came from
members of the United Development Party (PPP) and the Crescent
Star Party (PBB) faction.
The proposal was put forward by some 50 legislators.
Even if it does pass the Consultative Body, there is no
guarantee that it can be passed in a House plenary session.
Golkar, PPP and PBB have a combined voice of 191 in the 500-
seat House.
The key factor will be if Golkar can strike a deal with the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which
has about 153 seats.
Though many members of PDI Perjuangan cosponsored the proposal
it is unclear how the faction would vote in a plenary session.
A two-thirds majority is required if the proposal for a
special committee is to pass at the plenary session.
Further delays could further stifle the proposal as the House
will be on recess at the end of next week.
Golkar has used all the artillery it can muster to protect its
chairman.
Hajriyanto Y. Thohari of Golkar told The Jakarta Post after
Thursday's meeting that any investigation should be pursued
through legal channels.
Many argue that going through the courts would be a drawn out
and tedious process without yielding clear results. The Attorney
General's Office has declared former Bulog chief Rahardi Ramelan
a suspect, while Akbar remains a witness.
The case surrounds the role of Akbar, as then secretary of
state, in the disbursement of Rp 40 billion out of a total Rp
54.6 billion in Bulog funds earmarked for relief operations.
There are suspicions the money found its way into Golkar
campaign funds, and even other political parties.
While legislators engaged in futile debate, two opposing
groups of demonstrators gathered at the House complex.
Students from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture urged
legislators to form the special committee while activists calling
themselves the People's Movement for Reform (Gempur) said setting
up another committee was useless.
Currently there are already 15 special committees at work on
different issues.