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Graft body names PKB lawmaker a suspect
No political parties look likely to escape the sweep of the scythe in the anticorruption drive targeting politicians
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No political parties look likely to escape the sweep of the scythe in the anticorruption drive targeting politicians. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named a National Awakening Party (PKB) lawmaker as a bribery suspect.
Yusuf Emir Faishal, former head of the House of Representatives' Commission IV overseeing food, forestry and agriculture, allegedly received a bribe to smooth the way for the conversion of 600 hectares of Tanjung Api-api mangrove forest in the South Sumatra regency of Banyuasin.
"The KPK has named YEF as a suspect during our investigation into the conversion of Tanjung Api-api mangrove forest into a seaport. He allegedly received money," KPK spokesman Johan Budi told The Jakarta Post, referring to Yusuf.
Johan said KPK was investigating the amount of money Yusuf had allegedly received.
Yusuf, the husband of famous singer Hetty Koes Endang, is the second lawmaker named as a suspect in the bribery case on the conversion of the 600-hectare mangrove forest, along with Sarjan Taher of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party.
In the South Sumatra administration master plan the Tanjung Api-api mangrove forest is protected, although affected by the seaport construction, scheduled to finish by July next year.
Yusuf is hence the sixth lawmaker to be declared as a suspect by KPK for bribery this year. The KPK earlier arrested Saleh Djasit and Hamka Yandhu of the Golkar Party, Al Amin Nasution of the United Development Party (PPP), Sarjan and Bulyan Royan of the Reform Star Party (PBR). Their cases are being investigated.
Like Yusuf, Amin is married to a celebrity, famous singer Kristina. But unlike Yusuf, Amin's wife has filed for a divorce.
In response to Yusuf being implicated in the graft case, PKB faction chairman Effendy Choirie said the party would provide moral and legal support for him. He now sits in the House Commission XI for financial affairs.
"We are concerned by the misfortune facing Pak Yusuf and his family. He has contributed to building the party," Effendy said.
He said the party had not yet decided on possible action against Yusuf.
"It will be on the authority of the party's executive board to take any move. But as far as I know, Pak Yusuf returned the money to the KPK before the investigation began," Effendy said.
He questioned why the KPK overlooked other lawmakers who might have received money.
While welcoming the anti-graft campaign to clean the House from corruption, some politicians think that recent moves are related to the 2009 elections.
Transparency International has named the House and political parties as the most corrupt institutions in the country.
