House to push for BLBI fraud inquiry

Abdul Khalik and Lilian Budianto , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 03/12/2008 1:36 AM | Headlines

A group of House lawmakers on Tuesday said they would push for an inquiry into the embezzlement of Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) funds following the recent arrest of a chief prosecutor investigating the high-profile case.

Members of big factions at the House of Representatives, including the largest faction Golkar, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) said they supported the political move to unravel the graft case involving Rp 640 trillion in state money.

The Corruption Eradication Commission has arrested prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan and businesswoman Artalita Suryani and seized $660,000 in cash as evidence of a bribe which many suspect is linked to the Attorney General's Office decision to suspend a probe into a BLBI case involving business tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim.

"Urip's arrest really shows that collusion occurred in the BLBI investigation," Hari Azhar Azis of the Golkar Party said.

"It has brought new life to our effort to exercise our right to inquiry.

"Golkar Party has never instructed its members to reject the motion."

Hari, a member of the House's budgetary committee and Golkar's frontman in examining government's investigation into the BLBI cases, said many other Golkar members would throw their weight behind the move.

On Tuesday more than 40 lawmakers from various parties had signed the motion.

Deputy spokesperson for commission III on legal and human rights affairs Suripto of the PKS faction said the lawmakers would submit the motion to the plenary on Thursday, when more than 100 lawmakers were expected to sign it.

At least 10 signatures were required to file an inquiry motion with the House plenary.

The House findings for the government's violations could start an impeachment process, which led to dismissal of then president Abdurrahman Wahid in 2001.

The House committee of inquiry is allowed to summon any officials and persons for questioning, which is open to the public.

"We want to have an open investigation of what really happened behind the BLBI case," Suripto told a press conference.

"We want everyone implicated in the BLBI case to be questioned, not only the BLBI team members from the Attorney General's Office who may have received bribes from BLBI debtors, but also the President himself if necessary."

Most lawmakers also demanded the anti-graft commission take over the cases from the AGO.

Ade Daud Naution and Yusron Ihza Mahendra, both from the PBB faction, the bribery case reflected the government's failure to keep its commitment to fighting corruption.

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