Legislators allow Akbar to retain his position

Legislators allow Akbar to retain his position

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Corruption suspect Akbar Tandjung will remain speaker of the
House of Representatives until at least May, after House leaders
on Thursday defied persistent public calls for his removal.

Deputies and faction members will perform Akbar's duties while
he stands trial, DPR leaders decided.

Legislators will not discuss Akbar's future until the next
sitting period, due in early May, House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo
Soerjogoeritno of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Thursday.

"The decision (to delay decision on Akbar's status) was taken
during a DPR leaders consultation meeting chaired by A.M. Fatwa,"
Sutardjo said after closing the January-March sitting period for
the April recess.

Akbar, who is also chairman of Golkar party, the second
biggest faction in the House, is on trial for allegedly
misappropriating Rp 40 billion State Logistics Agency (Bulog)
funds in 1999. His corruption case was heard for the first time
last Monday at the Central Jakarta District Court.

State prosecutors have charged Akbar with power abuse
resulting in state losses. If convicted, he could face 20 years'
imprisonment.

Commentators and political opponents have claimed Akbar, as a
criminal suspect and defendant in a corruption case, no longer
had the moral authority to lead one of the country's highest
institutions. Critics have also suggested laws approved by an
institution led by a criminal suspect may not have legal force.

The public at large and legislators in the House have openly
called for Akbar's resignation or suspension, but their demands
have fallen on deaf ears. The House internal ruling was silent in
cases where its chairman or other DPR leaders were standing trial
for criminal case such as corruption.

Since there was no legal basis for removing Akbar from his
post, House leaders had appealed for more time to discuss Akbar's
case.

Golkar legislators, who naturally came to Akbar's defense,
argued against moves to unseat the speaker, saying the legal
process was still going on and he was innocent until proven
guilty.

According to Sutardjo, the consultation meeting held last
Tuesday decided that Akbar's leadership in DPR would be discussed
in a joint meeting between the DPR leaders and fraction chairmen
in the next sitting period.

He defended the decision, saying it was proper for the DPR to
debate the issue at greater length.

According to Sutardjo, the DPR agreed to set a mechanism to
anticipate Akbar's absence.

Based on article 21 of the House internal ruling, the tasks of
Akbar would be temporarily taken over by his deputies and faction
members.

Separately, spokesman for the Central Jakarta District Court
Andi Samsan Nganro announced on Friday that Akbar's trial and
that of murder defendant Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra would be
moved to Hall B of the Jakarta fairground in Kemayoran, beginning
from next week.

The shift of venue has been arranged, among other reasons, to
accommodate the large numbers of court observers in both trials
and to avoid traffic congestion around the Central Jakarta
District Court where the trials are currently being held on Jl.
Gajah Mada.

Andi, who is also a judge sitting on the panel of both trials,
said that the court had received an official permit from the
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to move the trial venues.

"The court has already informed the Central Jakarta
Prosecutor's Office on this matter. Other judges sitting on the
panels of both trials will be informed as well and a letter on
the matter will be issued soon," Andi said on Thursday.