Legislators split over committee

Legislators split over committee

A'an Suryana and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With just four days left before Monday's crucial House of
Representatives plenary session, the largest party, the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) remains
split over a proposal to set up a special committee to
investigate the high profile case involving House Speaker Akbar
Tandjung.

A top PDI Perjuangan executive Noviantika Nasution admitted on
Wednesday that the party had yet to reach a common stance on the
idea, which was proposed last year by 50 legislators, mostly from
the National Awakening Party and PDI Perjuangan factions.

"Wait until Monday, when the party will announce a collective
position," said Noviantika, a close confidant of PDI Perjuangan
chairwoman President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The 500-member House of Representatives will vote next Monday
on whether to form the special committee, which will look into
Akbar's involvement in the misuse of Rp 40 billion from the State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) in 1999.

A similar committee was formed last year and was instrumental
in the ouster of former president Abdurrahman Wahid.

Akbar, who also chairs the Golkar Party, has been named a
suspect in the Bulog case.

A PDI Perjuangan source revealed on Wednesday that the party
was divided into two camps, roughly along the lines of the power
struggle between old and new faces.

The older group is led by Roy B.B. Janis, who heads the
party's faction at the House. Arifin Panigoro, who maintains
close ties with Golkar, is the moving force behind the newcomers
camp.

"The long-time party members pushed for the establishment of
the special committee, while the newcomers opposed it," the
source told The Jakarta Post.

Roy has repeatedly asserted that such a committee would
positively influence the legal process, which often lacks
transparency and is prone to political maneuvering.

Jacobus Kamarlo Mayongpadang, another PDI Perjuangan
executive, conceded that negotiations between his party and
Golkar continue prior to Monday's House plenary session.

PDI Perjuangan has named Jacobus, Arifin and secretary general
Sutjipto to hold talks with Golkar members Fahmi Idris, Theo
Sambuaga, Rambe Kamarulzaman, Freddy Latumahina, Agung Laksono
and Slamet Effendy Yusuf.

Jacobus admitted that the latest meeting between
representatives of the country's two largest parties took place
last week at the Hotel Regent in South Jakarta.

"Golkar asked for PDI Perjuangan's help in retaining Akbar as
the House speaker by opposing the plan to form a special
committee," said Kamarlo, PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary
general.

Hajriyanto Tohari, a Golkar figure, confirmed the ongoing
lobbying by his party, not only with PDI Perjuangan but other
parties as well.

Hajriyanto said that the team had met with Sutjipto and Amien
Rais, the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and
People's Consultative Assembly speaker.

Jacobus said the Hotel Regent meeting failed to bear fruit,
but Golkar and PDI Perjuangan did agree to meet again this week.

Meanwhile, Hajriyanto warned that a committee to investigate
Akbar would merely destabilize the political situation. "If the
legislators continue the plan to form the committee, this will
create a broader impact. There will be an increase of political
tension," he warned.

He asserted that the establishment of such a committee would
threaten the relative peace created by the recent political
moratorium agreed upon by several parties. The agreement stated
that they would work to maintain the current government until the
elections of 2004.

"There is a growing amount of solidarity within the party now,
because the fate of Golkar is identical with the fate of Akbar,"
he claimed.

Separately, the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) joined the
chorus of criticism against Megawati's government for its
lackluster efforts with regard to corruption eradication.

"Megawati should heed the advice of Amien Rais that
cooperation between parties to conceal corruption is just not
on," ICW coordinator Teten Masduki said.

Teten added that Megawati, "Has so far squandered an
opportunity, with her power and vast popular support, to
eradicate corruption."

The anitcorruption activist said he smelled a political
compromise between Megawati and Akbar that would enable the House
speaker to evade investigation by a special committee.