International
Akbar Tandjung suspect in Bulog scandal
By Amit Baruah
SINGAPORE, JAN. 8. A powerful Indonesian politician and leader of the Golkar party, Akbar Tandjung, has been declared a ``suspect'' in the $4.3 million scandal involving Bulog or the State Logistics Agency.
The decision of the Attorney-General, M.A. Rachman, to name Mr. Akbar a suspect could have long-term implications for politics in Indonesia given the fact that Golkar is the second largest faction in Parliament.
Mr. Akbar, currently the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, is known to harbour Presidential ambitions and is a possible candidate for the top job when elections become due in 2004.
However, the latest move, which comes with the blessing of the Indonesian President, Megawati Sukarnoputri, could put Mr. Akbar in a tight spot and lead to problems between the two at a later stage.
For the moment, Mr. Akbar declared in Jakarta that he had no intention of stepping down as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
``I will remain as House Speaker as the case occurred in the past when I was not a House member,'' the Golkar party chief declared.
According to Mr. Akbar, his party would not withdraw support to the Megawati Government after he was named a suspect.
As far as the case is concerned, it relates to the supply of 16 million packages of rice, instant noodles and soy sauce to poor people in five provinces of Java province in April 1999. The Attorney-General contended that his office had obtained no proof that the Bulog money had been used as claimed by Mr. Akbar.
The House Speaker, who was State Secretary during the presidency of B.J. Habibie, has stated that he did not receive the Bulog money, but had witnessed the hand over of cheques. A Bulog official has claimed that the cheques were directly handed over to Mr. Akbar.
In a related development, legislators have stated that they intend to pursue the formation of a House committee to probe the charges against Mr. Akbar even though the Attorney-General has named him a suspect.
The naming of Mr. Akbar as a ``suspect'' is just a tiny step in a long process. Indonesian legal processes are notoriously slow and are open to influence from powerful personalities.
In a sense, Mr. Akbar's case will be a litmus test for the Megawati Government as far as its commitment to checking corruption and the rule of law is concerned.
There is little doubt that by allowing Mr. Akbar to be investigated the President has done the right thing. It now remains to be seen how doggedly the Attorney-General and his office pursue the case.
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