Trial of Akbar starts today

Trial of Akbar starts today

Annastashya Emmanuelle and Yogita Tahilramani, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

The trial of House Speaker Abkar Tandjung will begin on Monday at
Central Jakarta District Court, making him the highest official
to be brought to court under the government's campaign to fight
corruption, collusion and nepotism.

But, given Golkar's leverage against the government, the trial
of Akbar, who is also the chairman of Golkar, is seen as a ploy
to prevent the House of Representatives (DPR) from setting up an
inquiry team to investigate his alleged involvement with
corruption.

Akbar has been accused of misusing Rp 40 billion of State
Logistic Agency (Bulog) funds allocated for food aid in 1999.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Vice President Hamzah Haz's
United Development Party (PPP) have hinted they would back away
from their demands for a House inquiry team if the legal
proceedings of Akbar's corruption case runs smoothly.

Ironically, former president Abdurrahman Wahid alleged that
both parties received a total of Rp 38 billion and Rp 24 billion
respectively from Bulog in the run-up to the 1999 general
election.

Akbar's trial will be presided by Judge Amiruddin Zakaria,
with a panel of five judges, including Judge Andi Samsan Nganro,
and I Ketut Gede.

Akbar's chief defense lawyer, Amir Syamsuddin, said on Sunday
that the dossiers and defense were already set, despite
skepticism voiced by the former team of lawyers that the new team
would come ill-prepared as they had only been appointed on
Friday.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara
said on Sunday that hundreds of police officers including anti-
riot personnel would be deployed around Central Jakarta District
Court on Monday, in anticipation of possible chaos involving
protesters for and against Akbar Tandjung.

Dozens of police troops at Jakarta Police and National Police
Headquarters will also stay on-alert in case more troops are
needed to secure the courthouse, he said.