Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – With many politicians implicated in corruption scandals, political parties are using the issue to pressurize rivals in order to secure their political agendas ahead of the 2014 general election.

Analysts believe that intensifying media reports on politicians' alleged involvement in corruption have driven political parties to consolidate for their own political benefit.

"Basically, there is no corruption at the House of Representatives only involving one political party. It is common for politicians to use corruption cases to blackmail each other, threatening to disclose their wrongdoings. This kind of dirty strategy is rampant ahead of elections, both at local and national levels," Uchok Sky Khadafi from the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) said on Sunday.

Political experience plays a crucial role in accomplishing this kind of strategy, he added. "Seasoned politicians and experienced political parties know better how to escape legal charges or lobby politically to protect troubled members," he said.

The 10-year-old Democratic Party, which is dominated by new politicians, has been deemed "politically too young." This, according to observers, has led to numerous graft cases implicating its members.

At least five high-level Democratic Party members have been charged with corruption. Alleged corruption in the case of the Rp 191 billion (US$21.2 million) SEA Games athlete village project in Palembang, South Sumatra, has seen former lawmaker Muhammad Nazaruddin and legislator Angelina Sondakh being charged.

Many other party members, including party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, have also been implicated. This has resulted in turmoil and infighting among party members.

Numerous surveys showed that the party's popularity had significantly dropped, particularly due to alleged corruption.

Legislator I Wayan Koster of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has also been implicated in the case, but remains off the hook.

The PDI-P has many political trades to offer. For example, the party can negotiate the ongoing inquiry into the Bank Century bailout, which had greatly influenced public opinion over President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party, Uchsok said.

Political intrigue was also suggested when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named 29-year-old National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker Wa Ode Nurhayati a suspect for her role in illicit brokerage at the House's Budgetary Committee.

Wa Ode's arrest was believed to be a result of moves by politicians who were uncomfortable with her speaking on national television about rampant illicit brokerage at the budgetary committee.

"Wa Ode has repeatedly threatened to uncover all of the illicit practices at the committee, but she has not named any lawmakers until today. It may have been part of her or PAN's strategy to secure certain political interests," Uchok said.

Uchok predicted the issue could also be used as a political bargaining chip to ask other parties to approve PAN's proposals in certain political discussions at the House.

Despite the fact that PAN is a member of the government coalition, it supports the opposition camp, the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra), when it comes to the parliamentary threshold of 3 percent currently deliberated at the House.

The proposal is much lower than the 4 and 5 percent proposed by the Democratic Party and the Golkar Party respectively.

PAN politicians have also yet to make clear their stance on the proposal to seek explanations from the government on its policy to end prison term reductions for graft convicts.

This move, which was initiated by legislators from the Golkar Party and the PDI-P, could end up being a major blow for the government if more parties join in, according to observers.

PAN executive Wahyuni Refi acknowledged that it was difficult to completely separate law enforcement from politics. "This fact has helped turn this country's political condition into a much less conducive one ahead of the 2014 election," she said.

Political analyst from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) Burhanuddin Muhtadi said the so-called "politics of being held hostage" would continue to intensify until 2014.

"Law enforcement in certain cases has triggered political maneuvers. Political parties have been held hostages by certain legal cases," he said.

"The President and his Democratic Party have been troubled by the Bank Century bailout case, Golkar by the Lapindo mudflow, and PAN with Wa Ode case and the alleged grafts surrounding the procurement of an electric-powered train from Japan. Every party has other parties' cards marked," Burhanuddin added.

When it comes to winning votes in the upcoming 2014 election, a political party tends to utilize any means of political bargaining to benefit from the fall of popularity of other political parties, be it fellow government coalition members or those in opposition, he said.