PDI-P lawmaker appreciative of Bakrie on mudflow

Effendi Simbolon, a lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), appreciates the Bakrie Family who is empathetic toward victims affected by the Lapindo mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java, despite the fact that the six-year-old tragedy has been declared a disaster.

“I have to appreciate the Bakrie Family. Why? Because Aburizal Bakrie is the only businessman showing empathy with people affected by the mudflow. Unlike other businesspeople, he has not escaped abroad; instead, he has compensated the victims and has assumed his responsibility,” he said at a seminar to mark the launch of the Lumpur Lapindo File: Konspirasi SBY-Bakrie? (Lapindo Mudflow File: A Conspiracy Between SBY and Bakrie?) at the National University in Jakarta on Monday.

As a business entity, the Bakrie Family could appeal to the court to declare PT Lapindo Brantas Jaya defaulted and file for bankruptcy, but the family has not done that; it has paid out fair compensation to thousands of displaced persons and owners of damaged assets.

Effendi, also deputy chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission VII on natural resources and the environment, said no one could lay blame on the family because the company had been found not guilty in the case “and now, the government has to take over responsibility for the disaster”.

The PDI-P is one of many parties that have demanded the Bakrie Holding Group assume responsibility for the damage caused by the mudflow and the displaced victims. Thousands of others whose assets have been buried in the mudflow have yet to receive any compensation from Lapindo.

The case is seen as a main obstacle for Aburizal Bakrie’s presidential bid in 2014.