House members propose more interpellation motions

House members propose more interpellation motions

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After establishing three teams of inquiry in the House of
Representatives, a number of legislators are preparing two
motions that could lead to the formation of additional
investigative teams.

The first motion to be introduced will concern summoning
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to clarify the government's
plan to set up an independent team to investigate the death of
rights activist Munir.

The second motion will concern launching an inquiry into the
procurement of 100 Scorpion tanks from British arms company Alvis
Vehicle Ltd. in the 1990s, which allegedly involved bribes for
former president Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti "Tutut"
Hardijanti Rukmana.

House member Djoko Edhie Abdurrahman, who initiated the motion
seeking clarification from the President on the Munir case, said
on Friday the move had won support from 21 legislators from
various factions, including Ade Komaruddin of Golkar Party,
Trimedya Panjaitan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle, Djoko Susilo of the National Mandate Party, Fahri
Hamzah of the Prosperous Justice Party and Maiyasyak Johan of the
United Development Party.

Edhie said the legislators wanted the President to answer at
least six questions, including which institution should be held
accountable for Munir's death.

Munir died aboard a Garuda flight bound for Amsterdam on Sept.
7. The National Police initially said there were no indications
of foul play in the death, but the Netherlands Forensic
Institution announced in November it discovered excessive levels
of arsenic in Munir's body.

Police have launched a criminal investigation into the death,
but after over one month no suspects have been named.

Susilo told Munir's widow, Suciwati, that he backed demands
for the establishment of an independent team to investigate the
case, but so far no steps have been taken toward establishing
such a team.

Lawmaker Djoko Susilo said he was gathering support for a
motion to form a team of inquiry into alleged bribes in the
purchase of the British-made Scorpion tanks.

"Hopefully, the proposal to form a team to probe the purchase
of the tanks will be endorsed in January," he said.

The House is in recess until Jan. 9, 2005.

Several House legislators have proposed a motion to question
the President over his decision to withdraw the nomination of
Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu for chief of the Indonesian
Military. The proposal has not been approved by a House plenary
session.

The House approved on Dec. 8 the establishment of teams to
investigative the death of Munir, a clash between police and
protesters at a dump site in Bojong, West Java, and a traffic
accident involving the presidential entourage on the Jagorawi
toll road.