Money politics ruin legislative process

Money politics ruin legislative process

By Pandaya

JAKARTA (JP): Allegations that members of the House of
Representatives are taking grease money to push through
legislation has again highlighted the role money plays in law
making in Indonesia.

In a hearing with Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, member
Hadi Sutrisno of the Armed Forces faction made a startling,
although by no means new, revelation.

Sutrisno said it is no secret that legislators jostle to fight
their way onto committees that deliberate bills whose sponsors
are likely to offer a lot of money to see them passed into law in
their favor.

These "rich bills" are usually sponsored by government
ministries that run companies and have direct business interests
in the legislation. Debates take place in lavish hotels and the
lawmakers involved not only enjoy the plush facilities, they also
go home with their pockets full.

The bill on customs and excise, for example, which was enacted
last year, was finalized after three weeks of deliberations at
the Horison Hotel at Ancol Dreamland seaside resort in north
Jakarta.

Some legislators dub such bills "conglomerates' bills" because
the money for the legislators can be as much as Rp 10 million
each.

There are also "poor bills", which involve little money. In
this category are those concerning the formation of a
municipality or the adoption of an international convention.

Such bills are also dubbed RUU Pak Ogah, named after a
poverty-stricken character from a popular local TV puppet show,
because legislators usually debate them with dampened spirits.

A member of Commission II, who recently took part in the
deliberation of a bill on the formation of a municipality, said
he received a total of Rp 500,000 in transport allowances and Rp
700,000 in regular allowances.

The deliberations are usually held at the commission's regular
conference room at the House premises, where the legislative
body's secretary general hands out Rp 750,000 from the state
budget to each commission member.

Sutrisno, a member of Commission II, which overseas domestic
political affairs and deals only with "poor bills", questions the
financial sources for the deliberation of the rich bills.

Moerdiono said he was surprised to hear the disclosure about
the role of money in law-making. He suggested the commission
checks on the sources with relevant ministers.

Sutrisno's revelation has embarrassed many legislators. They
duck for cover whenever the issue is raised.

A senior House member, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
told The Jakarta Post that he was dismayed by the rampant
corruption among his colleagues.

"Taking bribes for the passage of a bill in favor of the
sponsor is only the tip of the iceberg," he said.

He said that members of Commission VI, for banking and mining,
have frequently gone on foreign holidays at state-owned
companies' expense.

"Very recently, many visited several countries, including
Japan and the U.S. for unclear purposes under a state-owned
company's sponsorship," he said.

Members of Commission X, for environment, research and
technology, have also traveled abroad for dubious purposes under
the sponsorship of the office of the State Ministry of Research
and Technology, according to the source.

House members from the Golkar faction have established a golf
club and seek sponsorship from various private sources and state-
run companies.

Legislator A.A. Oka Mahendra, also from Commission II, is
among the few House members willing to admit that the
deliberation of bills needs extra money for smooth passage.

"The huge sum of money from dubious sources will sooner or
later tarnish the House's image," he warned. "It encourages
unhealthy rivalry among House members who want to get the money
instead of contributing ideas in the law-making process."

Oka, who represents the dominant ruling Golkar faction, argues
that the government should not lure legislators with money.

"It would be dangerous if the money becomes committal for then
lawmakers would be forced to comply with whatever the government
wishes," he said.

Chairman of the Golkar faction Moestahid Astari has pledged to
look into the bill sponsorship row.

A similar scandal hit the House in 1991 when legislator
Hussein Naro of the United Development Party said he knew of a
conglomerate who offered Rp 1 billion to push through the banking
bill.

The truth in Hussein's claim was never investigated but it
prompted the then House speaker M. Kharis Suhud to propose the
formation of an honorary council in charge of formulating a code
of ethics for House members.