House gets report on scandals

House gets report on scandals

JAKARTA (JP): After a series of intense lobbying, the House of
Representatives plenary session on Monday eventually received the
report of the special House committee's investigation of two
financial scandals and officially dissolved the committee.

The report on the Rp 35 billion (US$3.9 million) scandal at
the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and the $2 million donation
from the Sultan of Brunei, was handed over to the House
leadership by chairman of the special committee Bachtiar Chamsyah
in a closed-door session.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, who presided over the plenary
session, said copies of the report would be made available to all
House factions and legislators and that the factions would
present their positions in a plenary session on Thursday.

"The House will decide whether to accept or reject the report
in the plenary session and the factions will also present their
evaluations of the special committee's financial account and the
way the investigation has been carried out," Akbar said after the
meeting.

He said the report was received after the House secured
approval from the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction.

Secretary of PKB faction, Abdul Khaliq Achmad, said his
faction accepted the report with a reservation that the special
committee would present its monthly reports and the financial
report of the four-month investigation.

"Our faction will sue those who are believed to have leaked
the results of the committee's investigation to the press," he
said.

The session was marked by the walkout of PKB legislators Ali
Masjkur Musa, Radjil Gufron, Sri Oetari, Effendi Choirie and Ali
As'ad after learning that their protest had gained no response.

"The special committee and the House leadership did not listen
to our faction's objections over the violations," said Ali
Masjkur Musa, another member of the PKB faction.

House factions had to caucus in three lobbying sessions when
the plenary session failed to reach consensus over the disputed
investigation procedures.

The session was interrupted twice when the PKB faction and
several legislators from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) challenged the lawfulness of the
committee.

Ali As'ad, a PKB legislator and legislators Dimyati Hartono
and Panda Nababan of the PDI Perjuangan faction, interrupted the
meeting because the special committee failed to give the House
leadership its monthly reports as required by the House's
internal rules and because the investigation results had been
leaked to the press.

Only half an hour after the opening of the session at 9:30
a.m., House speaker Akbar Tandjung had to suspend the meeting
because many of the legislators, especially from PKB, interrupted
the session claiming that the committee was illegal.

House leaders then lobbied chairpersons of House factions to
let Bachtiar Chamsyah, chairman of the committee, give an opening
statement and submit the written report.

However, when the plenary session was about to resume at about
12 p.m., the PKB faction asked for permission to hold an internal
meeting and the session was suspended again.

Around 1:30 p.m. the legislators reentered the plenary hall,
but this time four PKB legislators had their microphones on so
the House speaker could not use his to open the session. The
session was adjourned again.

Afterwards, Deputy House speaker Muhaimin Iskandar said the
committee had violated procedures and claimed that some PDI
Perjuangan legislators had similar views.

"I held a meeting last night (Sunday night) with several PDI
Perjuangan members to discuss the procedural problem of the
special committee," Muhaimin told journalists.

Legislators of other factions, however, disagreed with the PKB
faction, "PDI Perjuangan's stance is to let the committee submit
the results and then on Feb. 1 we (legislators) will decide," PDI
Perjuangan faction secretary Pramono Anung said.

Ferry Mursyidan Baldan from Golkar Party said that the House
should accept the results then announce its decision on Feb. 1.

Earlier, legislator Mochtar Buchori from PDI Perjuangan said
the party's chairperson, Megawati Soekarnoputri, had ordered the
faction to stick with the findings, but should not declare Gus
Dur guilty.

However, Mochtar said that PDI Perjuangan would issue a strong
warning over the President's leadership style.

When asked whether the warning should be in the form of a
memorandum, Mochtar said: "Yes, I think so." (dja/rms)