Jakarta – Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri yesterday defended her party's decision not to seek a parliamentary inquiry into alleged graft by the Speaker, saying legislators have more important things to do.

Her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the largest single party with 153 of the lower house's 500 seats, last week abstained in a vote and thus foiled plans to set up a commission to probe Akbar Tandjung.

Akbar, who also heads Golkar, the second largest party with 120 seats, is currently on trial over the financial scandal concerning the misuse of funds from the national food agency, Bulog.

"Not everything has to be settled by a special commission," Ms Megawati was quoted as saying by Mr Al-Amien Nur Wahab, the chairman of a youth group affiliated with the nation's largest Muslim organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama.

"There are still a lot of draft Bills that have yet to be debated or passed by Parliament," Ms Megawati reportedly told Mr Al-Amien.

Mr Al-Amien, speaking at the palace after meeting the president, said Ms Megawati did not want to further burden the Parliament with another probe commission.

"And also, what then would be the role of the judiciary?" the President reportedly said.

As state secretary under president B.J. Habibie in 1999, Akbar was charged with overseeing the 40 billion rupiah emergency programme to feed poor families in Java using Bulog funds.

Prosecutors say there is no evidence that any food was ever distributed. Akbar denies any wrongdoing, saying he was misled by others in the case.

His trial opened in March and is expected to continue until August. He could face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. Analysts have been quick to write off Akbar's political career and several Golkar members have called for his resignation. But the veteran politician has refused to step down pending the verdict.

One of Akbar's co-defendants, businessman Winfried Simatupang, told Akbar's trial yesterday that the decision not to buy food and to keep the money had come from the late Dadi Suryadi, an executive of an obscure foundation which Akbar assigned to implement the distribution.

Winfried, who in a controversial move had returned the 40 billion rupiah in cash in several instalments to prosecutors, said he had kept the amount in a drawer in his bedroom for two years.

Politicians have aired suspicions that the money was channeled to Golkar for its 1999 general election campaign.

Critics of the decision by Ms Megawati's party not to support a commission have accused it of collusion with Golkar and abandoning its reform ideals.

Student groups have also complained that Akbar would escape justice in Indonesia's corrupt legal system. They say a parliamentary probe would increase political pressure on him to quit politics and expose other key politicians involved.

A total of 193 House members voted against the setting up of the special committee, 73 others agreed to it and 94 abstained.