Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The House of Representatives on Thursday finally approved a list of 30 lawmakers set to monitor the criminal investigations into the Bank Century bailout.
"The team itself should be formally approved by next Tuesday in a House plenary session, according to our schedule. Once that is done, we can begin work soon," House Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso said, adding that the team would look into all investigations by the National Police, Attorney General's Office and Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The probe follows the House's adoption of a resolution that determined the government's Rp 6.7 trillion ($744 million) bailout in 2008 had violated the law.
According to House Speaker Marzuki Alie, a Democratic Party lawmaker, the delay in forming the monitoring team was because of two factions in the House – the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and People's Conscience Party (Hanura) – and was not the fault of the House leadership, as Hanura lawmaker Sarifuddin Sudding had claimed on Tuesday.
"Please do not throw mud in the face of the House leaders. They are the problem, not us," Marzuki said.
Sarifuddin said the House leaders had not announced that the names of candidates for the monitoring team had to be submitted by Wednesday.
Marzuki, however, said the House leadership immediately sent off formal notifications to each faction requesting candidates before Wednesday's deadline after the decision to establish the team was made last week. Both Hanura and Gerindra missed that deadline, he added.
Gerindra secretary Edhy Prabowo said there had just been a misunderstanding over the issue, although a reminder should have been sent.
Edhy also dismissed rumors that Gerindra no longer had any interest in monitoring the Bank Century investigations because the party's chairman, Prabowo Subianto, had developed a closer relationship with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo, from the Golkar Party, on Thursday railed against the House leadership over the delay in forming the monitoring team. "I will file an official protest if the House leaders have not established the team by next Tuesday," he said.
The Democrats have proposed Anas Urbaningrum, Ruhut Sitompul, Achsanul Qosasi, Benny K Harman, Gondo Radityo Gambiro, Agus Hermanto, I Wayan Gunarsa and Yahya Sacawiria for the team.
The six Golkar nominees, which were made public two days ago, include Ade Komaruddin, Agun Gunanjar Sudarsa, Bambang Susatyo and Idrus Marham.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has proposed Sidharto Dhanusubroto, Trimedya Panjaitan, Gayus Lumbuun, Ganjar Pranowo and Hendrawan Supratignyo.