Jakarta – Several parties aligned in a political coalition with President SBY spearheaded a move Tuesday by the House to scrutinize the government over the electoral roll fiasco, which marred the April legislative elections.
Of the more than 200 House lawmakers attending the plenary session, 129 voted for and 73 against the call for an inquiry, which may test the cohesiveness of the coalition bloc built by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the upcoming presidential election.
SBY's Democratic Party (PD) and the Prosperous Justice Party unanimously challenged the calls for an inquiry.
But lawmakers from the National Mandate Party (PAN), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP) joined forces with those from the Golkar Party and the self-styled opposition group the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in pushing for the investigation into allegations of fraud involving the electoral roll.
The vote was inevitable after all 10 parties in the House failed to reach a compromise.
"The decision to launch an investigation reflects the House's political stance regarding the electoral roll fiasco," chairman of the PDI-P representatives at the House, Tjahjo Kumolo, said after the vote.
Leaders of 23 political parties, including PAN, PKB and PPP, signed a political contract to support Yudhoyono's re-election on May 9.
Golkar, which officially supports the current government, decided to quit the coalition and nominate party leader Jusuf Kalla as its presidential candidate and People's Conscience Party (Hanura) chairman Wiranto as his running mate for the July 8 polls.
Kalla is the Vice President and was Yudhoyono's running mate in the 2004 polls, though speculation suggests ties between the two have weakened in the run-up to the election.
The majority vote, Tjahjo said, confirmed the general opinion at the House that fraud played a key role prior to and after the legislative election.
"As legislators, we have the right to summon and question all related institutions held responsible for the fiasco, including the government," he said.
PD's faction chairman, Syarif Hassan, said he was disappointed with the apparent disloyalty demonstrated from the coalition partners.
"I am very upset, especially with Golkar, as it is still officially in the coalition supporting the current government," he said.
"I am also disappointed with PAN, PKB and PPP. Their legislators need to understand that coalitions can only work if all elements involved in it are fully committed. All I can say now is that I will report to SBY directly regarding this situation."
PPP House leader Lukman Hakim denied accusations that his party had betrayed the PD by approving the push for an inquiry.
"The House measure will instead serve as a gateway to ensure better administration of the general elections in the future. There is no political interest at all in our stance to vote for a right to an inquiry," he said.
The government survived a House move to launch an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the fuel price policy in 2007, but is facing a hearing in April over allegations of revenue misuse in the energy sector. (hdt)