The House of Representatives celebrated its 63rd anniversary on Friday amid a growing public perception that corruption had taken root in the legislative body, which Speaker Agung Laksono said could erode its legitimacy.

Agung told a plenary meeting marking the anniversary that a series of arrests of lawmakers for alleged corruption and graft cases that had implicated legislators had tainted the House' image.

"In this reform era, public criticism instead shows that people love the House," Agung said in his speech.

"But we are still waiting for the legal proceedings in this (corruption) case. We hope law enforcers uphold the presumption of innocence," he said.

He was referring to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) which has launched investigations into a number of cases involving lawmakers.

Golkar Party lawmaker Saleh Djasit was sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday for misusing the Riau regional budget in 2003, at a time when he was governor.

United Development Party legislator Al Amin Nasution is standing trial for receiving bribes and extortion, while Democratic Party lawmaker Sarjan Taher will soon follow suit.

KPK also arrested National Awakening Party lawmaker Bulyan Royan for his role in a tender for the procurement of patrol boats.

Just after Golkar politician Hamka Yandhu disclosed a transfer of Rp 31.5 billion from Bank Indonesia (BI) officials to 52 lawmakers, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Agus Condro Prayitno admitted to having received Rp 500 million after voting for Miranda S. Goeltom in the election of BI's senior deputy governor in 2004.

Agung said the House had set up a disciplinary council to help minimize corruption cases and maintain the image of the legislative body.

Data from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) earlier revealed at least 35 lawmakers -- 15 from PDI-P, eight from Golkar, eight from PPP, three from the Democratic Party, three from PAN and one from PKS -- who had allegedly been involved in corruption.

Agung expressed hopes that the upcoming elections could restore the House image.

He said the election could produce tough lawmakers who were elected by the community.

Indonesia will hold legislative elections on April 9, 2009, to select 560 House members, plus thousands of provincial and regional legislative councils.

There are 38 political parties running in these elections.

Amid the concerns for the House image due to graft, party leaders have required their legislative candidates to sign "integrity pacts".

Under such pacts, legislative candidates would have to quit if they were implicated in corruption or other offenses.

Popular

Kadin urges stability after Constitutional Court ruling

Jokowi says transition to new government to begi

BCA loan disbursement surges 17.1 percent yoy in first quarter