Legislators opposed to inquiry on Akbar case

Kurniawan Hari and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Legislators appeared to eat their own words when they signaled on Tuesday that they might not press forward with investigations into Golkar Party chief Akbar Tandjung's alleged abuse of power.

The signal came only a day after a steering committee of the House of Representatives agreed to a proposal to discuss the possibility of forming an inquiry into Akbar's case.

Chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz, who is also Indonesia's Vice President, said that his faction might change its views on the establishment of a special committee to investigate the case.

"It is still possible that we might change our opinion at the coming plenary meeting. PPP will follow the aspirations of the people and other factions, as they also represent the people," Hamzah said, referring to a plenary meeting scheduled for Jan. 21.

Akbar is charged with misappropriating Rp 40 billion in funds from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) while serving as state secretary.

The agreement to press forward with the Akbar inquiry on Monday came only after several postponements of the House's agenda to discuss this proposal. It is not immediately clear if the repeated postponements had been done on purpose or not.

Hamzah said that the national interest should take priority over other interests and that it was better for the nation to deal with future problems and not past ones.

"Only if it (the establishment of the committee) did not jeopardize political stability, would we go ahead," Hamzah said.

The House steering committee comprises 76 members, dominated by four major political parties, including PDI Perjuangan, Golkar, PPP and the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Of the 74 members present at Monday's committee meeting, only 21 rejected the proposal, 18 from Golkar and 3 from PPP. When legislators convene for a meeting in January, there will be a full, 500-strong plenary meeting.

The 153-strong Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) is faced with internal bickering.

Party member Haryanto Taslam, in an apparent attempt to silent critics said, "Well, I think we are still solid."

Golkar Party officials have claimed that most major parties also received money from Bulog.

Ferry Mursyidan Baldan from Golkar said, "We will argue and try hard to halt the plan to form an inquiry committee."

Golkar, the second biggest faction, controls 120 seats in the House.

Hamdan Zoelva from the Crescent Star Party (PBB) said, "In principal, the House has authority to oversee the current government, not a past one."

PBB, which has two seats on the steering committee, supported the plan to discuss the formation of an inquiry committee on Monday.

But Hamdan said it did not necessarily mean that PBB supported the establishment of such a committee.

Chozin Chumadi from PPP, which has 58 seats in the House, said that in principle his faction supported the fight against corruption, but as regards the proposal for an inquiry committee, that would depend on each PPP member.

At the plenary meeting in January, the 50 legislators who supported the proposal would have to give a further explanation about their plan.

Chairman of the military/police faction Budi Harsono reiterated that the final stance of his faction would be revealed at the plenary meeting in January.

The House has in the past established various special committees of inquiry dealing with issues ranging from corruption to human rights abuse.

Results of the inquiries have become recommendations for the government.