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.