Anita Rachman & Markus Junianto Sihalho – The Democratic Party has defended its decision to withdraw support from a proposed tax mafia inquiry, saying it could be used as a "political tool" to unseat the president.
Thirty legislators signed a letter on Monday proposing that the House of Representatives (DPR) use its right of inquiry to investigate tax mafia cases. The proposal needs the affirmative vote of at least 25 lawmakers. By Thursday, though, seven Democrats had backtracked.
"I will follow my party's stance and I have withdrawn my support for the inquiry right," said Sutjipto, the last of the seven Democrats who had their names struck from the letter.
A senior official from the ruling coalition said party leaders threatened to dismiss members who continued to support the inquiry. He refused to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.
Sutjipto said his party was worried the inquiry would only be used by rival factions to get President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono impeached.
"Like a ball, this ball could be directed by any politicians for a purpose," he said. "It's why I can accept my party's order, although I supported this inquiry to reveal the tax mafia at the beginning."
The tax mafia – brokers, crooks and thieves operating within or in collusion with the tax office – has recently made headlines during the high-profile case of former tax official Gayus Tambunan, who has been convicted of bribery.
Jafar Hafsah, the new chairman of the Democratic Party faction in the House, said there was no need to launch a grand inquest since a working committee "was enough to settle tax cases."
Setya Novanto, chairman of the Golkar Party's House faction, urged all parties to drop the proposal to hold an inquiry. "Our stance is to push a joint working committee of House Commission III and Commission XI to discuss the case," he said.
Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, and Commission XI, which oversees financial affairs, both formed committees to look into the tax cases.
The National Awakening Party (PKB) is so far the only pro-government party to announce that it had ordered three of its members to withdraw support for the proposal. "We have made an evaluation and have decided that we don't need the inquiry rights," said Bahruddin Nasory, the PKB faction's secretary.
Mustafa Kamal, chairman of the pro-government Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said his party would evaluate the benefits of holding an inquiry. He said PKS members would not be barred from supporting the proposal.
Meanwhile, Trimedya Panjaitan, a member of the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said his party was ready to file a new inquiry petition, which all of its members would sign.
However, Airlangga Pribadi, a political analyst from Surabaya's Airlangga University, cast doubt on lawmakers' ability to launch an inquiry. "I don't think this is a serious proposal from our lawmakers," he said, adding that the House needed the support of civic groups and the public.