PDI-P supports plan to set up special committee on Bulog scam

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Solo, Central Java

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) officially announced their support on Tuesday for the House of Representatives' plan to establish a special committee to investigate the alleged misuse of Rp 54.6 billion from the State Logistic Agency (Bulog), which implicates House Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

Speaking to journalists after the party's weekly meeting led by its chairwoman President Megawati Soekarnoputri, PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Gunawan Wirosaroyo said that the decision to support the plan was made by the central executive board.

"However, this does not guarantee that after the next discussion at the House a special committee will be formed, because we have to convince other parties on the issue," Gunawan said.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) is investigating the Bulog scandal, which took place during Akbar's tenure as minister/state secretary in 1999.

Akbar, who is also chairman of the Golkar Party, has been summoned twice as a witness in the case, while legislators have campaigned for the formation of a special committee to investigate the alleged graft. Last week, however, the House delayed a debate on the establishment of the committee due to technicalities.

Many people criticized that the House was reluctant to pursue the case as, according to legislators, it was being used as a political commodity among the parties.

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have even alleged that the case may be exploited by Megawati for political bargaining, particularly since the possibility of a House investigation depends largely on PDI Perjuangan, which has the most seats in the House.

In a related development, former Bulog fund director Yusnadi Suwarta admitted that Akbar had promised to provide all of the receipts related to the Rp 40 billion he has admitted to receiving.

"Pak Akbar said to me and my colleague Pak Ruskandar that he would hand over the receipts of some checks we gave to him," Yusnadi said referring to former Bulog deputy chief of finance Achmad Ruskandar.

Supporting Ruskandar's earlier statement, Yusnadi said that the checks totaling Rp 40 billion were handed over at Akbar's office.

Yusnadi was summoned by the AGO on Tuesday as a witness in the case. Also questioned by the AGO was the head of Bulog's payment division Purnama Ema Budi Setiawati.

In a related development, dozens of students of the Indonesian Muslim Students Association (KAMMI) held a rally on Tuesday before the local legislative council in Solo, Central Java, demanding that Akbar resign from his political posts pending a complete investigation.

"Akbar's case is the most scandalous of the corruption cases in the country, so Akbar must resign from his political posts, and his party must be dissolved," they said.