House called on to probe Gus Dur's Borobudur meeting

JAKARTA (JP): Several legislators from minority parties on Monday began calling for a special committee to be established by the House of Representatives to investigate the private meeting between President Abdurrahman Wahid and Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra at the Borobudur Hotel in early October.

Legislator Achmad Sumargono of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) said the investigation should look into whether the President had made a deal with former president Soeharto's son who has been convicted to 18-months in jail in a Rp 76.7 billion corruption case.

"Our faction has proposed to the House leadership to set up a new special committee to investigate the meeting," Achmad said.

Tommy has remained at large evading his conviction and is currently Indonesia's most wanted fugitive.

Hatta Taliwang, a legislator from the National Mandate Party (PAN), concurred and said police should grill the President to ward off public suspicion over the meeting.

"The President should clarify the matter to avoid suspicion," he said.

But Muhaimin Iskandar, a member of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, dismissed the suspicions saying the President made no deal with Tommy.

"The suggestion to set up a special committee to investigate the Borobudur meeting is baseless because the President gave no concession to Tommy over the latter's jail sentence," said Muhaimin who is also a House deputy speaker,

The House is already currently investigating the President's alleged involvement in the Brunei and Bulog scandals. (rms)