DPR Incapacitated
Although he has been detained by the KPK, Setya Novanto still retains power and influence in the DPR and the Golkar Party.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Although he has been detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Setya Novanto still retains power and influence in the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Golkar Party. This condition has incapacitated the House institution and poses a threat that Golkar’s image will grow even worse.
The strong influence of Novanto, the House Speaker and the general chairman of the Golkar Party who is a suspect in the e-ID corruption case, was seen in the internal dynamics of the House Ethics Council (MKD) and plenary session of the Golkar Party’s Central Executive Board (DPP) on Tuesday (21/11).
On Tuesday, the council failed to hold a consultative meeting with all faction leaders to discuss Novanto’s detention. MKD chairman Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said the meeting could not be held because not all faction chairmen were able to attend.
Meanwhile, the Golkar executive board’s plenary meeting, which lasted about eight hours, decided on retaining Novanto as House Speaker while appointing Golkar secretary-general Idrus Marham as the party’s acting general chairman. This position will be active until a ruling is issued in pretrial hearing Novanto has made in connection with his naming as a suspect. The pretrial hearing is to start on Nov. 30.
Golkar executive chairman Nurdin Halid said that if Novanto won the pretrial hearing, Idrus’s stint as acting general chairman would end. However, if Novanto lost, Golkar would call on Novanto to tender his resignation as Golkar general chairman and House Speaker. "If Pak Novanto does not want to resign, the plenary session has decided to hold an extraordinary national meeting to seek a new general chairman," he said.
What transpired at the MKD and Golkar’s plenary session was similar to Novanto’s request as he had conveyed in two letters, each of which bore a Rp 6,000 seal and was sent to the Golkar executive board and the House leadership.
In his letter to the Golkar executive board, Novanto declared that no motions would be made to dismiss him as the party’s general chairman. He also appointed Idrus as acting general chairman in the letter.
Several days before he was detained by the KPK, Novanto had given up his positions in the party and the House.
Meanwhile, in his letter to the House leadership, Novanto asked, along with other points, not to hold a plenary session or a House ethics meeting in connection with his possible dismissal as House general chairman or member.
The content of the two letters was different from Idrus’s earlier statements. According to Idrus, several days before he was detained by the KPK, Novanto had given up his positions in the party and the House. "He said he would not do anything to hinder the Golkar or House mechanisms. He was sincere in his intensions," Idrus said (Kompas, 21/11).
Moment for MKD
Constitutional Studies Center director Feri Amsari of the Andalas University Law School said that Novanto’s letters to the House leadership constituted an effort to render the DPR impotent, especially the House Ethics Council. Feri hoped the MKD would not be affected or swayed by Novanto\'s letters. The House’s image would be tainted further and he feared its performance would be affected if Novanto\'s letters held sway over the institution. "This is the moment for the MKD to show itself as guardian of the DPR\'s honor," he said.
However, House Deputy Speaker Fahri Hamzah said that upon the two letters from Novanto and the Golkar executive board’s decision, the House leadership would postpone replacing the House Speaker until the legal process of Novanto’s pretrial hearing was completed.
The ethics council, he said, would not process allegations that Novanto had violated the House’s code of ethics. MKD would enter the process if Novanto’s status was confirmed as a suspect. "Because Pak Novanto is still the legitimate general chairman of Golkar, in line with the MD3 Law [on the People\'s Consultative Assembly (MPR), DPR, Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and Provincial/City Legislative Councils (DPRD)], there will be no change in the House leadership," Fahri said.
Article 87 of the MD3 Law states that the House Speaker will be dismissed if the Speaker’s political party proposed such a course of action. In connection with this, according to House Deputy Speaker Johnny G Plate of the Nasdem Party faction, it would have been more elegant if Golkar had taken the step to immediately replace Novanto as House Speaker, rather than the MKD.
”Golkar should have fully recognized and used its authority as regulated in the MD3 Law to immediately replace Novanto for the sake of maintaining the House’s dignity," Johnny said.
Bambang Soesatyo declined to say if the meeting discussed the position of House speaker.
The National Mandate Party (PAN) faction secretary at the House, Yandri Susanto, also urged Golkar to view the situation more objectively. After he was detained, Novanto would not be able to carry out his duties as House Speaker. Moreover, the House’s image would deteriorate.
Nurdin said had he, along with Idrus, Golkar board of supervisors chairman Aburizal Bakrie, and a number of the party’s coordinating chairmen would soon meet with Novanto to ask him to resign. "This is not a dismissal. It is a humane gesture," he said.
Maneuvering
Even though Novanto was still retained as the House Speaker and Golkar general chairman, internal maneuvering has been taking place in Golkar in case Novanto was relieved of the two positions. Several names were mentioned as having the potential to replace Novanto as the House Speaker, including House Commission III chairman Bambang Soesatyo, House Budgetary Committee chairman Aziz Syamsuddin, House Commission II chairman Zainudin Amali, Golkar faction secretary Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita and Golkar lawmaker Kahar Muzakir.
Bambang Soesatyo met with President Joko Widodo on Tuesday in the context of the Communication Forum for the Children of Retired Officers and Indonesian Military and National Police Personnel.
Bambang declined to say if the meeting discussed the position of House speaker.
Kahar Muzakir said he did not want to fill the position of House Speaker. ”If [Bambang Soesatyo] has been summoned by the President, it is likely he will become [House Speaker],” Kahar said.
Meanwhile, Golkar Party’s economic coordinator Airlangga Hartarto said he was ready to become the Golkar general chairman if this was the aspiration of the party’s board and cadres. He has invited the regional and central boards to consolidate. "If my fellows support me, as a cadre, I am ready," he said.
(AGE/DD12/SAN/APA/IAN/WAD/KOR/NTA)