Legislators' moral ills

Legislators' moral ills

From Rakyat Merdeka

It is ironic that Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Akbar Tandjung received tight security protection from his "bodyguards" some time ago, particularly as he was asked to testify in the case of misappropriation of non-budgetary funds from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

A sensible observation will show that the examination of this case is under the authority and responsibility of law enforcers. I fully agree that the case should be thoroughly investigated in order to purge the Functional Group (Golkar) Party of its defiling elements.

Strangely, however, part of the people's representatives in the DPR have responded zealously by proposing the formation of a special committee. Have they lost their sense of crisis, that they insist in dealing with the case that actually belongs in the domain of the Attorney General's Office (AGO)?

Or, is it likely that some House members' passionate attempts to establish the committee means a conspiracy to discredit Golkar through the scandal of Buloggate II and further recommend Golkar's dissolution as previously demanded but rejected by the Supreme Court?

Cases of alleged corruption or Bulog fund abuses and other such cases have often involved high-ranking public officials.

It is fresh in our mind that People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) vice chairman Ginanjar Kartasasmita was examined by the AGO and even had to remain in its custody. But none of the legislators tried to initiate the special committee.

That is just the moral ills of our people's representatives that must first be overcome, because unless these flaws are eliminated, they will only act for personal or group interests rather than for the public at large. We are now expecting Akbar to show courage and speak the truth.

ACHMAD NURYADI

Jakarta