Anita Rachman, Jakarta – A promised shake-up of the House of Representatives' beleaguered Ethics Council was unveiled on Monday, but the only significant change was the withdrawal of its chairman by his party.
The council has been virtually paralyzed since early this year when Deputy Chairman Chairuman Harahap, from Golkar, led a vote of no confidence against Chairman Gayus Lumbuun, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Golkar later attempted to defuse the tension by replacing Chairuman as deputy chairman with fellow Golkar legislator Nudirman Munir.
However, the spat flared up again this month when Gayus called for Nudirman and seven other council members to be suspended and brought before a tribunal, following allegations of a leisurely jaunt to Turkey on the taxpayer's dime.
On Thursday, the seven parties represented on the Ethics Council agreed to announce replacements for their members by Monday. However, on Monday, only the PDI-P followed up on its promise to pull all of its members on the council, saying it would replace both its members.
Muhammad Prakosa will step into Gayus's role as chairman, while M. Nurdin will fill in for Sri Rahayu. "I believe this is the best solution," Gayus said. However, he added this should not spell an end to calls to probe the Turkey trip.
Nudirman, who is at the center of the controversy, will stay on as deputy chairman of the council, Golkar announced, while Chairuman will be replaced with Edison Betaubun.
"We've coordinated with the other parties and decided that we'll keep Nudirman on the Ethics Council," said Ade Komaruddin, Golkar's House secretary. "It was an internal conflict that had led to the problems, but Golkar has coordinated with the other parties."
House Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso, also from Golkar, said he believed rotating the members would help put an end to the unrest within the Ethics Council. "It could be new names or the same, we don't want to interfere [with the parties' decision], we'll leave it up to them" he said.
Saan Mustopha, the House chairman of the ruling Democrats, also said his party would only replace one of its two members on the council, but did not say who it was. The current Democratic council members are Abdul Wahab Dalimunthe, a deputy chairman, and Darizal Basir.
With only three members replaced, there are concerns the Turkey fiasco may never be probed.
Ronald Rofiandri, director of advocacy at the Center for Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK), said it seemed the PDI-P had given up. "Have they sacrificed Gayus?" he said, adding that those involved in the Turkey trip were still sitting on the council.
Of the four remaining parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) have both confirmed their members would stay on.
Marwan Jafar, the PKB House chairman, said because most of the parties had decided not to change their members on the council, "we'll also keep our member, Ali Maschan Moesa, on the council."
Irgan Chairul Mahfiz, the PPP House chairman, also said his party would not replace its representative, Hisyam Alie.
The two remaining parties – the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Mandate Party (PAN) – are reportedly also not making any changes. Their council representatives are Ansory Siregar and Abdul Rozaq Rais, respectively.