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Big parties cautious of moves to impeach VP
Major political parties remain cautious of a move by five House of Representatives lawmakers to push for the impeachment of Vice President Boediono for his role in the 2008 bailout of Bank Century, which the legislative body claims was a flawed decision
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ajor political parties remain cautious of a move by five House of Representatives lawmakers to push for the impeachment of Vice President Boediono for his role in the 2008 bailout of Bank Century, which the legislative body claims was a flawed decision.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the third-largest party (recently voting to maintain its position as an opposition party), says the political maneuver is a non-priority.
“Our main focus is the establishment of a House team to monitor the implementation of the House’s resolution on the Bank Century bailout,” newly installed PDI-P secretary-general Tjahjo Kumolo said Wednesday.
PDI-P politician Maruarar Sirait is among five lawmakers from various parties who on Tuesday signed a petition to demand the House exercise its right to convey an official opinion on the alleged breach of law committed by Boediono while he was Bank Indonesia governor.
“Maruarar signed the petition on his own behalf, not that of the party,” Tjahjo said.
Under the 1945 Constitution, if the House conveys an official opinion on this case it would provide legal grounds for the Constitutional Court to begin a hearing to decide whether the Boediono was at fault.
Tjahjo said the PDI-P regarded the government’s response to the House’s resolution on the Bank Century as more pressing after its investigation found the bailout was flawed, meaning legal proceedings against Boediono, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and other officials involved in the bailout were mandatory.
House leaders have agreed to form a 30-strong monitoring team to oversee the government’s implementation of the House resolution on the bailout. The team will be led in turn by House leaders.
The Golkar Party, the second-largest party, has opted to wait for the government’s commitment to respecting the House’s resolution on the impeachment initiative.
Golkar deputy chairman Priyo Budi Santoso, who is also a House deputy speaker, said Wednesday the party expected a positive response from government on the House recommendations.
“If there is no positive response, we will have no other choice [but to support the impeachment initiative],” Priyo said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government would take the House’s resolution seriously, but insisted that the bailout was the right decision in protecting Indonesia from adverse impacts of the global crisis.
Priyo said he would lead the monitoring team in the first month of its tenure. He said the team membership would be proportionally distributed among the nine parties at the House. As the largest party, Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party would have eight representatives in the team.
Meanwhile, three legislators — Lily Wahid from the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Golkar Party’s Bambang Soesatyo, and Akbar Faisal from the People’s Conscience Party — on Wednesday filed for a judicial review of the 2009 Law on the Composition of Legislative Bodies.
The plaintiffs demanded a revision of Article 184 of the law that requires the attendance of at least 75 percent of lawmakers to commence a House plenary session to exercise its right to convey an official opinion. This article would allow the Democratic Party, which holds more than 25 percent of House seats, to block such a move.
The three lawmakers proposed that the minimum attendance be reduced to 50 percent plus one legislator, in accordance with the principle of simple majority.
