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| AsiaViews, Edition: 48/VI/March2010 |
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| Lawmakers denounce House Speaker’s move |
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| Several DPR members were furious after House Speaker ended the plenary session on Tuesday, 02 March 2010. (Tempo/Imam Sukamto) |
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TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Several lawmakers slammed the leadership of the house speaker Marzuki Alie who refused to accommodate request for changes on the agreed agenda of the plenary session, which is to decide the parliament's decision on Bank Century scandal at the plenary session of the upper house (People's Consultative Assembly) scheduled for tomorrow.
In a press conference after the closure, three vice chairmen of the house Priyo Budi Santoso of the Golkar Party, Pramono Anung of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle, and Anis Matta of the Prosperous Justice Party, explained their disappointment on their chairman who ended the session without consulting his vice chairmen.
Andi Rahmat from the Prosperous Justice Party said “Marzuki did not have the qualification as a parliament speaker. He was the captain of the ship and he flees.” Andi said Marzuki could be reported to the Honorary Council of the house which main function is to deal with regulation and ethics.
Idrus Marham head of special inquiry committee also regretted Marzuki's decision. “That was just a technical problem. If there were too many interruptions, (the hearing) should have been suspended for several minutes, not closed.”
Some members of the parliament were furious over Marzuki's swift decision to end the second day of plenary session on Bank Century bail out after chaotic interruptions from the floor. Marzuki dismissed request to decide the house response over the inquiry report and insisting on sticking to the agreed plan to settle the matter at the upper house plenary session tomorrow.
Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party claimed in the session on Tuesday (2/3) that his party and three other; the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle, the People's Conscious Party (Hanura), and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) have demanded for direct decision-making by the house and drop further hearings on the factional conclusions.
The party rejected further presentation of the inquiry results leaving no buffer time for the ruling government to sway the house decision on the scandal.
Priyo Budi Santoso said the three vice chairmen remained at the their desk after Marzuki fled the plenary hall and announced an emergency meeting between board of chairmen to prevent the situation from becoming more uncontrollable, but the house speaker, according to Priyo, looked disappointed by the move.
Other reports
Five factions vote against the bail out
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Five factions out of nine at the House of Representatives have voted against the bailout policy and blamed the government for implementing the policy in the first session of the third day of the parliamentary plenary session today (3/3).
The Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar Party, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra), and People's Conscious Party chose the third, or the most austere options among three conclusions on Bank Century scandal put forward in the parliamentary session.
The ruling Democratic Party and the National Awakening Party chose the first of the three options, which support the bailout decision as a necessary measure to anticipate an extensive failure in the banking system.
While two other party, The National Mandate Party and the United Development Party abstained.
The number two option also support the bailout policy but concludes the government at fault for implementing the policy.
Golkar Party controls 106 seats, The Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) 94, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) 57, Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) 26, and People's Conscience Party 17, or in total 53.57 percent of the parliamentary seat.
Democratic Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB) make up 26.86 of the parliamentary seats or 148 and 28 seats respectively. While the undecided factions the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP) holds 46 and 38 seats respectively.
The result was not final to drive the general conclusion of the house as voting is expected after the break.
By Nalia Rifika
Tempo Interactive
03 March 2010
Other reports
More factions set to blame the government
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The third day of the parliamentary plenary session on Bank Century scandal started on Wednesday (3/3) with several factions set to take the third option of the conclusions developed after the presentation of the preliminary result of the inquiry by the parliamentary special committee.
The third option was to declare the bailout policy and the implementation of the policy a mistake, after the first and the second options of complete support of the bail out and support on the bail at policy level but identified mistakes at the implementation level.
Supporters of the third options were the Golkar Party, Prosperous Justice Party, Great Indonesia Movement Party, People’s Conscious Party, and the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle.
While the ruling Democratic Party and its ally the National Mandate Party, plus the National Awakening Party is set to pick the first option. The United Development Party is undecided.
The attendance list on Wednesday's hearing, in which voting is anticipated, is;
1. Democratic Party Faction: 141 of 148 lawmakers
2. Golkar Party Faction: 90 of 106 lawmakers
3. Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle Party Faction: 76 of 94 lawmakers
4. Prosperous Justice Party Faction: 50 of 57 lawmakers
5. National Mandate Party Faction: 40 of 46 lawmakers
6. United Development Party Faction: 36 of 38 lawmakers
7. National Awakening Party Faction: 17 of 20 lawmakers
By Evana Dewi, Amirullah
Tempo Interactive
03 March 2010
Other reports
Plenary session on Century scandal suspended
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The second day of the parliamentary plenary session on Bank Century bail out scandal was abruptly suspended on Tuesday (2/3), as lawmakers nearly involved in brawls after the parliament speaker suggested the chamber to bring the matter to be decided at the upper house chamber level.
Parliament speaker Marzuki Ali of the Democratic Party jumped to the suggestion after head of the special inquiry committee on Bank Century bail out put forward conclusions and recommendations on the scandal.
Some lawmakers tried to protest the suggestions finally ran to the front and jumped on the plenary hall stage where the chairpersons of the hearing sat after Marzuki struck his hammer to close the hearing.
Some continue to shout and a lawmaker even grabbed a plastic bottle of mineral water and smashed it on the chairpersons' table in protest of the closure.
The protesting lawmakers demanded further discussion on the options set out by head of the special inquiry committee Idrus Marham, apparently dissatisfied by the available options.
The special inquiry committee offered the parliament to decide whether they had violated the law in both making and implementing the bail out or just in implementing the rescue.
Lawmakers are now split in separate smaller convention rooms holding closed meetings.
By Evana Dewi
Tempo Interactive
02 March 2010
Other reports
Ready to take responsibility
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reconfirmed his responsibility for the government’s policy to disburse Rp6.7 trillion to Bank Century. “That was a policy to create a healthy economy. The decision was right and I am responsible for it,” he said in front of 54 bankers who came to see him at the State Palace yesterday.
Friday last week, presidential spokesperson Julian Aldrin Pasha made the opposite statement. “I clarify that the president will never take responsibility of the Century case,” Julian said.
The clarification was made by Julian only one day after Yudhoyono said that as the head of state he was the most responsible person for any policy. However, according to Julian, the president’s statement was not specifically referring to Bank Century’s case.
This time the president again clarified what he meant. He reiterated the decision to disburse the fund was made in November 2008 when he was in Washington, US. “Although I did not make the decision, I approved it,” the president stressed. “That was the only option available.”
Within the next few days, the president will wait for the verdict of Bank Century Inquiry Committee. “We will wait for the House of Representatives’ (DPR) ideas and opinions.”
However, he reminded that the investigation carried out by the House of Representatives (DPR) is not a pro-justice process because it will take further process to complete it. “You may not like the president, but don’t hate the people,” he said.
The president’s inconsistency in this Bank Century case has actually generated protests. The unfinished political process in the DPR was also considered to have been caused by it. “This is the cost of the president’s public emotions,” said philosophy expert from the University of Indonesia, Rocky Gerung.
By Tomi Aryanto, Dwi Royanto, Amirullah
Tempo Interactive
02 March 2010
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| By Amirullah |
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| Tempo Interactive, 02 March 2010 |
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