Skepticism overshadows Akbar's questioning
Viva Goldner and Tertiani ZB Simandjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung today (Tuesday) is questioned by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) over the highly-politicized State Logistics Agency (Bulog) scandal, observers have slammed the legal process, claiming corruption will prevent justice being done.
Despite calls for a special House committee to investigate the Rp 54.6 billion corruption allegation, the AGO will instead question the three suspects, including Akbar, Raudlatul Jannah foundation chairman Dadang Sukandar, and businessman Winfred Simatupang.
Johnson Pandjaitan of the Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) said on Monday that Akbar's questioning by the Office was politically engineered to rescue the Golkar chairman and his party.
Golkar is the second-largest faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) and played a key role in bringing the Megawati administration to power in July, 2001.
Following questioning of his involvement late last year, Akbar's status in the graft case was changed from witness to suspect, a move Johnson said was used to prevent the speaker from facing a House inquiry, similar to the one instrumental in the downfall of former president Abdurrahman Wahid.
Under pressure from leaders of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to allow the due legal process to run its course, PDI-P legislators eased earlier calls for Akbar's full investigation by the House.
Instead of a multi-party committee with wide-ranging powers to uncover the truth, the case would instead be handled by the country's judiciary, an institution Johnson said was marred by political interference and was far from transparent.
The decision to delay consideration of the appointment of a House inquiry team followed a meeting between Akbar and Megawati, where Akbar reportedly threatened to withdraw Golkar's support for her government.
The threat came as Megawati remained uncertain of her standing with Muslim-based parties in particular, who have recently pushed for the implementation of syariah, or Islamic law.
By sending the Bulog case to the courts, Johnson said Megawati was ensuring Akbar's political future, as endemic corruption in the judicial system would make a conviction unlikely.
For example, Johnson said prosecution lawyers could make use of loopholes in the dossiers to clear Akbar of his status as a suspect, rendering his investigation by a House special committee remote.
Moreover, rules of legally admissible evidence would prevent thorough probing of the case by the attorney general, whose political links with Akbar date to Soeharto's rule.
University of Indonesia Student Council Executive chief Wisnu Sunandar said students across Jakarta demanded the establishment of a House special committee.
He said the case brought the Indonesian government's commitment to ending entrenched collusion, corruption and nepotism (KKN) under fire once again.
"I think Akbar will be discharged because the AGO is still full of the past regime's manpower. In immediate response to the condition, we plan to call on people to rally in the street," Wisnu said.
With the House now stalling discussions on whether to establish a special committee until March 7, Akbar may yet see the light at the end of the AGO's tunnel.