Jakarta – Speaker of the House of Representatives Akbar Tandjung insisted that he would retain his position despite the fact that he has been convicted twice by two different courts for graft.

"I won't [step down] as the verdict is not yet final. I still have the chance to appeal to the Supreme Court. Until [the verdict] is final, I am still innocent," Akbar told reporters, aired by El Shinta radio station.

He, who admitted that he was disappointed by the verdict, said that he was innocent in the graft case involving the misuse of Rp 40 million of State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds in 1999.

On Friday, the Jakarta High Court upheld the verdict by a lower court sentencing Akbar to three years in jail for the offense. The High Court declared that Akbar was guilty of misusing the funds, which was supposedly distributed to the poor. Many believe that the money was actually channeled to Akbar's Golkar Party for the 1999 elections.

Analysts have said that the verdict could endanger Akbar's prospects as a presidential candidate for the upcoming 2004 elections, as an extant law bans convicts from running for president.