Leading from a detention cell

He must be an extraordinary person to be able to lead a political party from a detention cell. The speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), Akbar Tandjung, is not an ordinary person for he is also the general chairman of the country's second largest political party, the Golkar Party, as well as having once served as secretary of state under former president Habibie.

When he was secretary of state, Akbar was bold enough to request Rp 50 billion from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to alleviate the suffering of people in a number of provinces, which was approved by then president Habibie. It was later found out that the money never reached the needy people and disappeared into the pockets of party officials.

Following police investigations and endless testimonies by people associated with Bulog, it was discovered that the money had been safely deposited in a bank and has been almost fully returned to the state after Akbar and his associates were arrested.

There are voices from outside Golkar urging Akbar Tandjung to resign his post as chairman of the Golkar party and there are a great number of legislators also calling him to step down as House speaker.

Apparently, not only can Akbar run his party from a detention cell at the Attorney General's Office, but he may as well influence House deliberations, committee meetings and lobbying practices from the same place, perhaps using a mobile phone assisted by members of his family who are the only people allowed to meet him each day.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta