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