PDI-P legislators free on Akbar

PDI-P legislators free on Akbar

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Wednesday
it would allow its legislators to make up their own minds about
the fate of convicted fraudster Akbar Tandjung, the House of
Representatives speaker.

"The (PDI Perjuangan) faction in the House will not intervene
in the issue of Akbar Tandjung. We support the process, not the
substance," PDI Perjuangan faction chairman Roy B. B. Janis said
after presiding over a faction meeting.

Some members of PDI Perjuangan were among the more than 100
legislators who signed a petition demanding Akbar be suspended
from the House after he was sentenced to three-years jail for
corruption.

Akbar has not been jailed pending the outcome of an appeal.

PDI Perjuangan legislator Dwi Ria Latifa helped spearhead the
petition against Akbar, who is also chairman of the former ruling
Golkar Party.

The signatories also include legislators from the National
Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Roy refrained from joining the mounting calls for Akbar to
step aside, but said the status of Akbar as the House speaker was
"a matter of morality".

"All House members want their leader clean," Roy said. --JP