Legislators move to summon Megawati

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After months of verbal threats, a number of legislators finally submitted on Friday a petition demanding that President Megawati Soekarnoputri reveal the source of Rp 30 billion in funds she donated to the Indonesian military (TNI) and police in February.

The petition, signed by 48 legislators from six factions of the House of Representatives (DPR), was submitted to deputy House spokesman A.M. Fatwa.

Factions asking that the House exercise its right of enquiry were the Reform, United Development (FPP), Daulatul Ummat, National Awakening, Golkar, and the Democracy and Love the Nation factions.

"We hope the President will give the House the necessary clarification (on the source of the donation)," said PPP legislator Djamal Doa, chief author of the petition.

The House will now decide whether or not to endorse the petition, which is likely to undermine Megawati's campaign to bring big-time corruptors to justice.

Megawati donated Rp 30 billion to the TNI and police in February for renovation of their dormitories and housing complexes.

Djamal Doa said on Friday that the petition had been triggered by the government's confusing explanation of the source of the funds as both the presidential office and state budget made no allocation for rehabilitation of TNI and police housing and dormitories.

The government, through State Secretary Bambang Kesowo, said earlier that the funds had been taken from the Presidential Aid Fund (Banpres), but legislators contented that the fund had been scrapped a long time ago.