PKB sets sights on Golkar scandal probe

JAKARTA (JP): The country could see another round of political probes into financial scandals if the National Awakening Party (PKB) has its way by setting up a special committee to investigate financial improprieties involving the Golkar Party.

The PKB faction in the House of Representatives is already setting its sights on proposing such an investigation into allegations that Golkar siphoned off Rp 90 billion from the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) for use in the 1999 general election.

"Our faction is still collecting data and evidence, including data from Minister of Defense Mahfud and the State Audit Agency, before proposing an investigation into the scandal," Taufikurrahman Saleh, chairman of the PKB faction, said here on Friday.

He claimed his faction already had "reliable information" that such a donation was disbursed by Bulog officials to Golkar figures, and not directly to the party.

Taufikurrahman added that his faction had met and urged Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, who himself is a Golkar Party member, to be proactive in carrying out an intensive investigation not only into the Bulog issue, but also into reported financial leakages from state-owned oil company PT Pertamina and the Bank Indonesia liquidity support scheme (BLBI).

"Our faction has suspicions that Golkar figures were involved in both these scandals," he said.

Aberson Marle Sihaloho, an outspoken member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), would not say whether his faction would support the establishment of a new special committee but remarked that several Golkar figures would be in a difficult position if a probe were launched.

"The defense minister's information is accurate and numerous Golkar figures would likely face prosecution if the financial scandals were investigated," he stressed.

He said the Supreme Court could not liquidate the Golkar Party whatever the outcome of such a probe, but any of its figures who were implicated should be prosecuted.

Minister of Defense Mahfud MD earlier this week publicly alleged that Golkar had used money from Bulog.

Meanwhile, Syamsul Muarif, chairman of the Golkar faction in the House, challenged Mahfud's remarks.

"Mahfud should not talk so much. If he has strong evidence that Golkar obtained Rp 90 billion from Bulog, he should bring it to court. We are ready to accept an investigation into the scandal," he said here on Friday.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung conceded on Wednesday that he was deeply concerned over the numerous problems his party was facing.

"I can't understand why certain sides are trying to discredit Golkar. The present Golkar is a political party with a new paradigm and it's different from Golkar as a mass grouping during the New Order era," Akbar said.

"We have no objection if the government prosecutes any Golkar figures who were allegedly involved in past corruption," said Akbar, while declining to categorize Mahfud's statement as slander.

Another PKB member, Ali Masykur Musa, said that if the House was prepared to form a committee to investigate the scandals allegedly involving the President, "then why don't they form a similar committee to investigate the financial scandals involving Golkar?"

Ali, however, maintained that his faction would not lobby other factions for the establishment of such a committee.

"Let's just see how far this issue can go. This is the perfect time to see who are the New Order loyalists and who are the supporters of reform," Ali said. (02/rms)