PKB turns indifferent to Akbar inquiry

PKB turns indifferent to Akbar inquiry

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Public expectation for a transparent inquiry into a graft scandal
in which House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung has been
implicated is likely to be disappointed, with the faction that
spearheaded calls for an inquiry apparently running out of steam.

The National Awakening Party's (PKB) has become frustrated by
the indecisive stance of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the most influential faction in the
House.

An outspoken member of PKB, Effendi Choirie, acknowledged that
the constant delay had diminished his faction's determination.

"The prolonged delay has made us indifferent. Which is human,"
Choirie told the media here on Friday.

Friday saw the PKB, the fourth largest faction in the House,
without vigor, a complete reversal to last October when it was
full of enthusiasm to fight for the establishment of an inquiry
team.

Akbar is being tried for the misuse of Rp 40 billion belonging
to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

The latest delay in the setting up of a team was announced on
Thursday by House deputy speaker Tosari Widjaja of the United
Development Party (PPP) faction following a meeting of the
steering committee (Bamus).

A plenary meeting to decide on the establishment of an inquiry
committee was scheduled to take place on June 11, but has been
delayed until July 1.

The delay was at the request of the National Mandate Party
(PAN), whose legislative members will convene in Batam, Riau,
from June 10 to June 12 for a national congress.

Imam Addaruqutni of PAN reiterated that his faction would back
either a legal process or a political process in the House of the
alleged involvement of Akbar. "But we will not campaign for that
to take place," he told The Jakarta Post.

Speculation is rife that PKB was compensated for its change of
heart.

PKB's Muslim cleric Cholil Bisri was sworn in on Wednesday as
deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR),
culminating a long rivalry with an opposing PKB camp led by
Matori Abdul Djalil.

Choirie will reportedly take over the position of deputy
chairman of House Commission I from Astrid Susanto, who has
shifted alliances to the Indonesian Nationhood (KKI) faction.

Choirie has denied that the swearing in of PKB figures to two
positions were compensation.

Meanwhile, Golkar's Yasril Ananta Baharuddin said the delay
was simply a technical matter and would not affect his party.
Akbar is the Golkar leader.

He said his party maintained its earlier stance in supporting
the legal process and rejecting the proposal for an inquiry team.

The proposal to form an inquiry team was first submitted by
legislators under the initiative of PKB in October last year.
The 76-strong steering committee (Bamus) assigned to arrange the
schedule has played a major role in the frequent delays. The
Golkar faction insists that an inquiry team is not needed because
the legal process is ongoing.

Now, nine months after, the proposal remains on the shelf. A
similar inquiry into then president Abdurrahman Wahid's role in
graft took less than a month.