"The ball is now in the hands of the Ethics Council of the House of Representatives. If the House is serious about improving its image, its ethics council should follow up on the report of the state-owned firms," Budi Purnomo Karjodihardjo, coordinatJakarta (ANTARA News) - The House of Representatives (DPR) was called on Monday to follow up on a report by State Enterprise Minister Dahlan Iskan about lawmakers who had allegedly extorted money from state-owned firms.
"The ball is now in the hands of the Ethics Council of the House of Representatives. If the House is serious about improving its image, its ethics council should follow up on the report of the state-owned firms," Budi Purnomo Karjodihardjo, coordinator of BUMN Care, a state-owned firm watchdog, said here on Monday.
Iskan fulfilled his promise of revealing the names of legislators who have extorted money from state-owned companies to the House of Representatives` (DPR) Ethics Council on Monday. He, however, did not reveal the names of all those allegedly involved in the case saying that he had only reported two names and three cases that have been supported with accountable evidence.
Iskan earlier said there were around 10 legislators who had tried to extort money from state-owned companies. Meanwhile, text messages had been circulated with initials of 18 names.
According to Karjodihardjo, the House should reveal the names of all the lawmakers accused of attempting to extort money from state firms or take strict action to showcase its seriousness in handling the issue.
He said that any delay by the House in taking action would create a negative perception of the DPR, which could serve as a bad precedent for law enforcement as people would be wary of reporting misdeeds to the House in the future.
He added that his organization fully supported the statement of the chairman of the DPR Council of Ethics, M Prakoso, who said he would take firm action against lawmakers who were proven to have extorted or asked for money from state firms.
"We are of the view that firm sanctions could create a deterrent effect for legislators who committed the crime, also for individuals in the state-owned firms themselves," he said.
Minister Iskan said that though he had only reported two names to the House Ethics Council, there were plenty of corrupt officials in state-owned enterprises.
"I come to the House Ethics Council to report instances of attempted extortion by certain lawmakers but I admit we have also to introspect that state companies must also be cleaned of corrupt officials," Iskan said after meeting with the House`s Ethics Council (BK DPR).
He mentioned that reporting the case to the BK DPR meant that he was interfering in other`s affairs but he had been summoned by the council. The BK DPR held a closed-door meeting for about 1.5 hours, after which Iskan addressed a press conference with almost 100 journalists.
The minister said that putting state companies in order was a high priority as they had become a target for those who were asking for tribute money.
"The extortion that took place at state-owned firms is required to stop because it only disturbs the operations of the companies as the management is constrained to work professionally," Iskan said.
"Certain individuals even called officials in management as many as 20 times to ask for the money. This person also asked the management to transfer the money although they were abroad," asserted Iskan.
According to BK DPR chairman, M Prakoso, the alleged extortion by the legislators was linked to the disbursement of the government`s capital participation at state-owned enterprises.
"Based on the report of Pak (Mr) Dahlan, the tribute money asked for by the two lawmakers was related to the approval of the government`s capital participation in state companies," noted Prakosa after the meeting.
But he added that he could not disclose the names of the alleged lawmakers and three state-owned firms in question, just yet because the ethics council was yet to carry out a closed-door meeting.
He said that he would follow up on the minister`s report by summoning the two lawmakers and the managements of the three state companies.
"We will summon them after the House`s recess," Prakoso said.
Considered an outspoken minister, Iskan received mixed reactions with regard to his attitude on the case. He triggered an uproar by claiming that lawmakers were seeking to extort money from state companies.
He was even warned to be more cautious while making statements as he has been quoted as accusing ten unnamed lawmakers of seeking to extort money from state companies while discussing budgets for the companies.
His statements had lawmakers accusing him of seeking to divert public attention ahead of the presidential elections in 2014.
Iskan is rumored to be a potential presidential candidate with his reputation as a clean man.
"I never said ten lawmakers but only said around ten lawmakers," he told reporters after appearing before the Parliament Honorary Board.
Deputy House Speaker Priyo Budisantoso, from the Golkar Party, said the minister should restrain from issuing statements not backed by facts or he would create another destabilizing problem.
"As a state official, I asked Iskan to be careful while making his statement," Budisantoso said.
Political coordinator of Indonesian Corruption Watch, Abdullah Dahlan, meanwhile, stated that Iskan has to keep reporting the alleged incidences of corruption involving parliament members to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
"Although Iskan has been called by the House of Representatives' Council of Ethics to discuss the issue, he has to keep reporting about it to ths KPK," said Dahlan.
"The ethics council should enforce the code of ethics, which might have been violated by the DPR member, if the corruption allegation turns out to be true," he added.
Deputy Secretary General of the ruling Democratic Party (PD), Ramadhan Pohan supported the step taken by the minister. He earlier expressed support for the minister to disclose the alleged extortion attempts involving state companies.
"There are 560 lawmakers in the House of Representatives. Some are good and some others are bad. For the sake of the truth, I support Minister Iskan," he said.(*)
Reporter: Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
