Members say Habibie played with the truth

JAKARTA (JP): Factions in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) can give their overview of President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech, and may even choose to reject it, but the final say will be up to individual Assembly members.

Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and several party leaders have given approval to a vote to decide whether Habibie's account of his actions during his 16-month presidency is acceptable to members. This means that whatever conclusion each faction draws concerning the speech could still be canceled out by the vote.

According to the new Assembly internal rules, a faction can no longer control its members when it comes to decisions to be made by the institution.

If agreed upon, the vote on Habibie's accountability speech is scheduled for Tuesday.

Several Assembly members shared their views of Habibie's speech on Friday:

Amien Rais, who is also chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN):

I felt uncomfortable when I heard Pak Habibie's speech. In some paragraphs, he read the words as if he were so innocent.

In his speech, Habibie talked about his utmost efforts to eliminate corruption, collusion and nepotism but he did not mention which efforts had been carried out. It seems that he does not realize that he was also part of the corrupt regime. All realize that Habibie is a continuation of the old ruler -- former president Soeharto.

Khofifah Indar Parawansa, secretary of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction:

Personally I don't see any reason why we should accept the speech but as a member of an official body (political party), I cannot say anything about PKB's attitude toward the speech.

But I will surely recommend that we do not accept it.

If we carefully read the speech, there are a lot of holes which clearly show that Habibie, or whoever made the speech, manipulated data.

I consider it a political speech which did not really account for what has been done and what is left.

Many of the subjects earned grades below five. So his report (card) is red (for failed).

Matori Abdul Djalil, PKB chairman and Assembly deputy speaker:

Everything, be it politics, economics or welfare matters, is not acceptable. So the National Awakening Party has decided to reject the accountability speech.

Zarkasih Nur of the United Development Party faction:

Personally I cannot accept it because what he conveyed to the Assembly is totally different from what he has actually done.

Just look at bank restructurization which has consumed Rp 350 trillion. What has been the result? And why didn't he say anything about it.

Arifin Panigoro of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan):

Discussing the accountability speech is easy. We all knew from Thursday that it was not acceptable. I will bring a pillow this afternoon to the Assembly when all 11 factions discuss it.

Sabam Sirait of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction:

It was not a proper accountability speech, he was only telling a story.

In the economic sector, Habibie failed to eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN). Habibie himself was involved in KKN but he has simply pointed his finger at other government officials.

Moreover, Habibie left out the most important fact in the economic sector, that foreign and domestic investors decided to stop investing in Indonesia because they stopped believing in Habibie's government.

The figures he used to describe the economic sector were also false, according to the economic analysts we consulted.

Akbar Tandjung chairman of the Golkar Party of Reform faction:

The party will eventually accept the accountability speech, but with a number of reservations. (02/emf/rei/byg/rms)