Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Legislators from several political parties are busy collecting political support to back a motion urging the House of Representatives to make an official statement on the alleged use of illegal funds during the 2004 presidential election.
The 18 legislators said their motion is aimed at having law enforcers investigate the case thoroughly and ensure concerted efforts would be made to avoid similar instances in the upcoming 2009 general election.
Yuddhy Chrisnandi, a motion initiator from the Golkar Party faction, said the motion proposal would be submitted to the House's leadership after consultation with the Constitutional Court. "We are convinced the move will gain political support from many other legislators despite the alleged involvement of their parties in receiving the illegal funds," he said
"Many legislators are still idealistic about upholding legal certainty and creating clean and fair general elections for the sake of the nation in the future."
Fachri Hamzah, another motion initiator and alleged recipient of illegal Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry funds, said the group is awaiting an edict from the Constitutional Court to avoid giving the impression it is seeking an impeachment of the President.
"Our motion purely aims at ensuring all sides that such cases must not happen in the next presidential election," he said.
The distribution of fisheries ministry funds during the 2004 presidential election was revealed by former chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais, who also admitted to receiving the illegal funds.
Amien, a 2004 presidential candidate, said other presidential candidates, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also received illegal funds to finance their presidential candidacies.
Former fisheries minister Rokhmin Dahuri is currently facing corruption charges at the Anticorruption Court in relation to the funds. He confirmed with the court that a portion of the cash was channeled to political parties through their factions at the House.
The 2003 Law on Presidential Election prohibits presidential candidates from receiving funds from foreign institutions and countries, the private sector without clear identification and state-owned enterprises.
Meanwhile, Denny Indrayana, a constitutional law expert from Gadjah Mada University, criticized the legislators' motion, saying they could not distance themselves from their parties' allegedly involvement in the use of the illegitimately distributed campaign funds.
"The legislators will likely stand behind their own party's interests," he said.
Denny called on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate both Amien and the President despite the latter's denial of Amien's accusation and their recent airport meeting.
"KPK should be proactive in investigating all politicians and parties (who received) funds from the ministry and follow up the statements made by the General Election Committee and the now-defunct Election Supervisory Agency, which were suspicious of a transfer of illegal funds to parties during the past election," he said.