Golkar fires legislator for being to outspoken

Golkar fires legislator for being to outspoken

JAKARTA (JP): The ruling Golkar party withdrew one of its most
outspoken legislators, Bambang Warih Koesoemo, yesterday for his
habit of deviating from official lines.

Moestahid Astari, the chairman of the Golkar faction at the
House of Representatives (DPR), said Golkar's executive board had
been monitoring Bambang's conduct for the last two years before
deciding to fire him.

"Bambang, as a Golkar cadre, has failed to follow the
organization's policies," said Moestahid, who was accompanied by
Golkar deputy chairmen Abdul Gafur and Agung Laksono, in a press
briefing.

Moestahid declined to specify how Bambang had deviated from
Golkar policy.

"This decision is the result of two years of observation,"
Moestahid said. "He was not withdrawn because I as the faction
chairman don't like him. My predecessor Usman Hasan also assessed
his conduct."

Bambang Warih is well known for his daring efforts to expose
the bad debt of textile company Kanindo Group, which is owned by
tycoon Robby Tjahjadi, one of Golkar's donors.

When the bad debt was a burning national issue early last
year, Golkar leaders defended Robby's business record and he
escaped legal action.

Bambang claimed that Kanindo's debt was even larger than the
US$620 million owed by the Golden Key Group. Golden Key's owner
Eddy Tansil has since been sentenced to 20 years in jail for his
credit scandal.

Harmoko said in October that he would not withdraw any Golkar
members from the House. The Antara news agency reported yesterday
that he refused to explain Bambang's dismissal and instead, asked
Moestahid to meet the press.

Critics say that such "recalling" of legislators from the
House is an effective tool to keep members of Golkar and the two
other political parties, PDI and PPP, in check.

According to Moestahid, the decision to withdraw Bambang was
taken by the board of executives after it held a meeting last
Friday with the East Java legislative council. Bambang was the
Golkar representative to the House from the East Java
constituency.

"The board will soon issue a decree for the withdrawal. It
will then appoint his replacement and report to the President
Soeharto," Moestahid said. Soeharto is chairman of Golkar's Board
of Patrons. (swe)