PDI Perjuangan betrays the people: Observers

PDI Perjuangan betrays the people: Observers

Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Noted political observers bemoaned on Saturday the decision of
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) to
spurn moves within the House of Representatives (DPR) to probe
Speaker Akbar Tandjung's involvement in a Rp 40 billion scandal.

They accused PDI Perjuangan, the biggest faction in the House,
and its chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri of betraying the people
who have put their trust in her commitment to fight corruption.

Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid said PDI Perjuangan's
decision to drop the proposal to establish a committee (Pansus)
to probe the scandal was ironic given the party, which was
heavily suppressed by former president Soeharto, was now against
efforts to uphold justice.

"This is not about Akbar Tandjung, who is also my close
friend, or anybody else, but about how to uphold justice," he
said.

Nurcholis added that PDI Perjuangan's decision would not only
offend the public but also lead to what he described as "public
impunity", a condition where the public could not punish guilty
people.

Ending months of indecisiveness, PDI Perjuangan secretary-
general Sutjipto said on Friday that his party opposed the call
for the House to investigate Akbar over his alleged involvement
in the misuse of Rp 40 billion from the State Logistics Agency
(Bulog).

As PDI Perjuangan is the largest faction in the House with 153
seats, such a decision practically kills any hope for a complete
probe into the scandal.

The announcement came just three days before the House is to
take the ultimate decision on the proposed setting up of the
disciplinary committee.

The National Awakening Party (PKB), the fourth largest faction
in the House, was the sponsor of the call for the establishment
of an investigative team.

The scandal, dubbed Buloggate II, was being tried separately
at the Central Jakarta and South Jakarta District Courts with
Akbar and former Bulog chief Rahardi Ramelan among the suspects.

Legal experts, however, have blasted the trials, which started
in March, for failing to uncover the scandal.

Strong criticisms were also voiced by former president
Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, political analysts J. Kristiadi and
Arief Budiman.

Gus Dur said the PDI Perjuangan had ignored the interests of
the nation as a whole by rejecting the proposed establishment of
Pansus.

"PDI Perjuangan has neglected the people," he told journalists
after addressing a seminar in Jakarta on Saturday.

Gus Dur was ousted from power last year after a similar
inquiry implicated him in the high-profile "Buloggate I"
involving Rp 35 billion from the same agency.

Kristiadi said that with the unpopular stance PDI Perjuangan
has ignored people's "sense of justice".

"PDI Perjuangan has betrayed its constituents who want
corruption, collusion and nepotism eradicated without
discrimination," he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He said since the current legal process against Akbar has
failed to adequately satisfy the public, an investigation by the
House to thoroughly uncover the scandal should be taken
immediately.

Arief Budiman agreed and said: "It is extremely disappointing;
they have betrayed the people."

Arief said the move was part of Megawati's maneuvers to retain
power in the 2004 election by seeking alliance with the second
largest party, Golkar.

"There must be already a political deal between Golkar and PDI
Perjuangan in preparation for the next elections," Arief said on
the sidelines of the same seminar in Jakarta.

Arief, who currently lecturers at Australia's Melbourne
University, said PDI Perjuangan's rejection of the inquiry into
Akbar clearly shows that its support for the previous corruption
probe into Gus Dur, which led to his downfall, was "not genuine".

"It proves that the backing was aimed at merely making
Megawati president.

"Don't talk about reform any longer. It's already dead. What
has been going on is the struggle for power among members of the
political elite," Arief said.

Chronology of Bulog special committee debate and PDI Perjuangan's
role

Oct. 23, 2001:
50 legislators sign a petition demanding the establishment of a
special committee (Pansus) to investigate the Bulog scandal

Oct. 24, 2001:
Taufik Kiemas, the husband of PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati
Soekarnoputri, meets suspect Akbar Tandjung who is seeking the
party's support not to bring the scam before a House special
committee

Nov. 22, 2001:
House of Representatives' steering committee (Bamus) fails to
decide when the legislators will call for a plenary session to
form a committee

Nov. 28, 2001:
Steering committee again fails to set a date for plenary session

Dec. 10, 2001:
Steering committee decides to convene plenary meeting to decide
special committee question on Jan. 21

Jan. 21, 2002:
House plenary session agrees to delay decision to let the legal
process proceed. PDI Perjuangan says it prefers the legal process
to a House probe.

March 7, 2002:
Plenary session fails to take any decision and agrees to
reconvene on March 18

March 18, 2002:
Plenary session postpones decision to the next sitting.

March 25:
Akbar's trial starts

July 1:
Plenary session to decide whether special committee will be
established