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.