E

xperts have underlined the importance of strict public monitoring to help safeguard the special committee assigned by the House of Representatives to investigate the Bank Century bailout scandal.

They urged the committee to seek a comprehensive solution rather than political compensation.

"The bailout scandal involves both a violation of internal regulation at the central bank and a strong indication of graft," Hendri Saparini, an economist at Econit Advisory Group research institute, said Saturday.

"The team should have found convincing evidence," Saparini added, referring to the inquiry into the Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) bailout of Bank Century.

"To keep the committee on the right track, we need to encourage the public to closely monitor the committee's performance," she said. "Members of the committee should know their activity is being closely monitored."

Saparini's remarks were made in response to the apparent anti-climax of the inquiry into the scandal, following the election of the Golkar Party secretary-general, Idrus Marham, as committee chairman.

Many have claimed Idrus' appointment turned the inquiry team a political bargaining tool among the House coalition.

Fadjroel Rachman, from the Coalition of AntiCorruption Civil Societies (Kompak), said the inquiry team was officially ineffective and the appointment of Idrus would be unhelpful in resolving the scandal.

Similarly, political analyst at the University of Indonesia Boni Hargens said the inquiry committee would be "infertile" and would never achieve its goal of exposing those who received the funds.

Some parties believe the inquiry has become a political bargaining tool among major parties, mainly the Democratic Party, the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Saparini further urged the inquiry committee to apply a zero tolerance policy in its operation.

Any shortcomings in the investigation process could negatively affect foreign investors' decision to enter the country, she warned.

"I've been informed that some investors have been waiting for almost a year and expect the government to create a more conducive political situation," she said.

"These investors should not have to wait any longer."

According to Rudi Satriyo Munkantarjo, from the University of Indonesia's School of Law, the public should have maximum access to information to monitor the committee's performance.

"The committee must describe each stage of the inquiry process and explain this to the public," he said. "Otherwise we should question the committee."

Yanuar Rizky, from the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), however, expressed skepticism over the committee's performance.

He said the committee had not operated properly in its initial examination of the case.

"This committee is led by someone who, according to my personal judgment, is short of knowledge about the case," he told vivanews.com.