Watchdogs threaten to sue government over R&D scheme

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A number of professional associations and corruption watchdogs threatened on Monday to file a class action suit against the government, should President Megawati Soekarnoputri insist on releasing big debtors from possible criminal charges.

They said the plan to release the big debtors through the "release and discharge" warrant was improper and would only offend the people's sense of justice.

"We will invite the public and facilitate them for the class action suit. We believe most of the people disagree with the plan to release the debtors," said Coordinator of the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) Teten Masduki in a media conference here on Monday.

Teten added the groups would also consider demanding that a judicial review be carried out by the Supreme Court, the country's highest court of justice, should the government release the big debtors, namely: Anthony Salim, Sjamsul Nursalim, Ibrahim Risjad, Sudwikatmono and Samadikun Hartono.

Also speaking at the occasion were Agus Purnomo of the Transparency International-Indonesia (TI-I), economist Faisal Basri and Rosiana Tendean of the Indonesian Professional Community (MPI).

The media conference was also attended by three legislators -- Meilono Suwondo, Julius Usman and Haryanto Taslam of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Reading out the groups' joint statement, Agus Purnomo said the plan to release the big debtors was not recognized in the country's legal system.

The groups accused the debtors of having violated the maximum legal lending limit, which is a criminal act under the country's legal system, and indicated that the government had no reason to release the debtors from criminal charges.

Faisal Basri said the plan to release the big debtors was the peak of all disorders the Indonesian people had been through. "We reject the release and discharge plan," Faisal added.

Alexander Lay of ICW emphasized that the big debtors must not be released from criminal charges as they had failed to comply with the Master of Settlement and Acquisition Agreement (MSAA), which contains the release and discharge clause for the debtors.

Citing an example, Alexander said Sjamsul Nursalim had not paid Rp 1 trillion (US$111.11 million) to the government as stipulated in the agreement.

The handing over of the money would show the public his good intention to settle the case, he said.

Sjamsul also failed to provide evidence to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) to prove that his financial report to the agency was accurate, Alexander added.

Agus Purnomo said the plan to release the big debtors would only create more burden for the people.