House slows down talk on Akbar's dismissal

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Complicated procedures have put an early damper on moves to show House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung the door as the steering committee (Bamus) that was scheduled to discuss the issue on Thursday failed to reach a quorum.

Of the 76 steering committee members, only 22 turned up for the much-awaited meeting, which would have decided whether to proceed with a motion signed by a group of legislators to dismiss Akbar over his conviction in a Rp 40 billion graft case.

The motion topped the agenda of the meeting, according to House deputy speaker Tosari Widjaja, but due to the unfulfilled quorum the meeting was rescheduled for next week.

"I regret this delay because it will affect other agendas of the House, including the deliberation of numerous bills," Tosari told the media after closing the meeting.

The meeting opened an hour later than scheduled, at 1:30 p.m., as only 11 legislators arrived for the gathering on time.

Chairman of the Reform faction Ahmad Farhan Hamid expressed disappointment with fellow legislators who skipped the important meeting for no clear reason.

The Reform faction, consisting of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK), has been campaigning for Akbar's dismissal for reasons of morality.

"The motion to dismiss Akbar should be brought to a plenary meeting," Ahmad said.

Meanwhile, United Development Party (PPP) faction chairman Barlianta Harahap said the meeting was supposed to decide on whether the motion to unseat Akbar would be brought to a plenary meeting or not.

Although a meeting of House leaders last November concluded that there was no regulation to dismiss the speaker, the conclusion was not accepted by legislators.

Barlianta suggested that the issue should be discussed in a plenary meeting to reach a definite decision.

"A plenary meeting is the highest forum in the House to make a decision. The steering committee meeting is lower than a plenary session in status but is higher than a House leaders meeting," he said.

Tari Siwi Utami, an initiator of the motion to unseat Akbar, expressed concern over the inability of the steering committee to reach a quorum.

According to her, this trend would worsen the already-tainted image of the House.

"With the delay, our demand for the establishment of a disciplinary council becomes more relevant," said Tari of the National Awakening Party (PKB).

She added she had signed a motion calling for the establishment of a disciplinary committee circulated by Dwi Ria Latifa, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Ria Latifa claimed on Thursday the motion had the support of 20 legislators from various factions, seven of them women legislators.

She said on Wednesday the call for the establishment of a disciplinary council would be led by women legislators as male legislators lacked the courage to do so.

Internal House rules require legislators to collect at least 10 signatories from different factions in support of any proposal.