M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Weeks after a lawmaker was dismissed for acting as a middleman in a government-funded haj dormitory project, seven lawmakers are accused of pressuring government officials in order to get disaster relief money for their regions.
The Coordinating Ministry for the People's Welfare disclosed the names of the lawmakers Wednesday.
After meeting with House Speaker Agung Laksono, Ministry secretary Sutedjo Yuwono said the lawmakers included Emir Moeis of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Rudianto Tjen, also of the PDI-P faction in the House, and M. Tonas of the Democratic Pioneer Star faction.
The remaining four were Ahmad Hafiz Zawawi of the Golkar Party, Jabaruddin Ahmad of the United Development Party, Baharuddin Asari of the National Awakening Party and Nurhadi Musawar of the National Mandate Party. Emir and Hafiz are the chairman and deputy chairman of the House budget committee.
Sutedjo said some of the lawmakers phoned him, asking for a portion of the Rp 3.2 trillion (US$355 million) in relief funds to be allocated to their regencies.
"Some others went further in coming up with their own proposals for projects that had nothing to do with disaster relief programs," Yuwono told a press briefing. He was referring to Roedijanto, who submitted a proposal to improve services at a hospital in North Sumatra.
Sutedjo, who was the first official to disclose the allegations, said he had received threats from some legislators who felt that their proposals were not being responded to.
He had said previously that several lawmakers threatened to block the funding unless their regions received a share of the money, even though they were not affected by disasters. The lawmakers in question have appeared on television and other media outlets denying any wrongdoing.
Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said some of the lawmakers had bypassed the existing procedures for the disbursement of relief funds.
It was a breach that could disrupt government planning mechanisms, he added. "If the procedures are not followed there will be confusion in the planning of disaster relief fund allocations," Aburizal said.
The House leadership, however, defended the lawmakers' conduct, saying they had merely acted on behalf of their constituents.
"I know that the House members did make contact with people from the ministry but such conduct was part of their role in representing people from their electoral districts. After all they did not make efforts to enrich themselves," Agung Laksono told journalists.