Impeachment is A Risk, Not A Target

Akbar Tanjung, the chairman of Golkar's central board implied that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono finds the right time to resuffle should he do it in his cabinet. At the live talkshow Chat After Lunch, at Plaza FX, Jakarta, Tuesday, with Akbar Faisal, Hanura's representative in the legislature's inquiry committee on Century Bank; and Firmanzah, dean of University of Indonesia's Faculty of Economics, .

Akbar Tanjung's final point regarding the reshuffle is that "maybe among the ministers who don't perform, but if the momentum is now, then it's not appropriate. The president should find another timing."

The talk show was mainly about the performance of the inquiry committee, but several times it came back to the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle. "If there is the possibility, reshuffling is the president's right," admitted Akbar Tanjung, but he continued that a reshuffling would, "move the political map", and that in turn he believes might affect the effectiveness of the inquiry committee's investigation on Century Bank's case.

Complementing his mention of the 'political map', he also opined regarding the coalition. "The coalition's purpose is to support what the president is doing. But it doesn't mean that the parties cannot do their function." He believes that all parties should still be critical, coalition or no. He also mentioned that the political map could signify the final decision of the inquiry committee.

On the other hand, Akbar Faisal, also reminded that the political mapping so far in the inquiry committee can be quite fickle. "At first it was five to four, then it became seven to two," he referred to the shifting of opinions among the fractions in the parliament regarding Century Bank's bailout.

President's accountability

Speaking of the president's right to reshuffle, Akbar Faisal also mentions that the president also has the obligation for accountability, at least to give confirmation to details like Sri Mulyani's claim that she had reported to both SBY and Jusuf Kalla on November 22, 2008.

Regarding involvement of the president, he stated that, "The inquiry committee is to investigate the presidential institution." He compared the case with the time when there was an inquiry committee that investigate Bulog gate which implicated the late former president Abdurrahman Wahid, or known as Gus Dur. At that time Gus Dur complied with the committee's summons, though it should be noted that the nature of that hearing was closed.

Akbar Faisal also chipped in his opinion that, "the point (of the inquiry committee) is that we want a better nation, more orderly and credible. If in the end it leads to an impeachment then it's a risk, but not a target."