House postpones Lapindo probe

Jakarta, NU Online
The House of Representatives failed to agree Tuesday whether or not to summon President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to a plenary session for an inquiry into the Lapindo mudflow disaster.

They instead handed over the responsibility for the decision to a special team for monitoring the spending of 2008 state budget funds to pay compensation to Lapindo mudflow victims and for reconstruction of Sidoarjo's infrastructure.<>

"All factions agree on the interpellation of the president concerning Lapindo, but we will allow our special team to work for three months under our guidance before any further action is taken on this case," House Deputy Speaker Muhaimin Iskandar told the House plenary session Tuesday.

Muhaimin said after the team finished their work, they would report the results to another House plenary session.

"If that session decides that the team's work is not in concordance with the direction provided, it will leave any move toward interpellation to the House," he said.

The House made the decision on a one-hour leadership lobby after arguing whether they should resort to voting to determine what they should do in relation to the Lapindo problem at this time.

This decision disappointed the National Awakening Party (PKB) which demanded the session vote to decide the matter.

When a vote was refused, PKB decided to opt-out of the decision-making process and walked out of the room.

"This decision means the House is leaving the Sidoarjo peoples' destiny undecided, which we extremely oppose," PKB legislator Effendi Choirie said before leaving the session.

"On behalf of the East Java people who have supported us, we will not take any part in responsibility for this decision, and will walk out of this room."

Priyo Budi Santoso, vice chairman of Commission II and a Golkar Party legislator, said the decision to form a special team to investigate the Lapindo mudflow was the best choice.

He said questioning the President would not solve the problems caused by the Lapindo mudflow, because it would only require his explanation.

"After the President gives the explanation, it will be over. The Lapindo mudflow won't be resolved in just one or two days anyway, so let the team do their work," Priyo said.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction head at the House of Representatives Tjahjo Kumolo said his party hoped the decision would pressure the government to take serious measures on the Lapindo mudflow disaster.

He said PDI-P did not agree to vote on the subject in such a limited forum, because any poll should be taken directly to the public on this issue.

"It is the best political negotiation we can accept," Tjahjo was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying.

"If we voted, we would have lost, just as in the case with the interpellation on Iran.

"This will still leave us the interpellation option, while making the government focus on the Lapindo mudflow.

"For us, this has the effect of an interpellation. We will wait for the team's result," he said.

PT Lapindo Brantas has been blamed for the unrelenting flow of hot mud, which has gushed out of the ground near the company's oil and gas drilling site in Sidoarjo since May last year. (dar)