BBC News Online: World: Asia-Pacific

Megawati backs corruption probe

Megawati pledged to eliminate corruption

Mr Tandjung is accused of taking $4m of state funds to finance the election campaign of the former ruling Golkar party, which he heads, two years ago.

Correspondents say the scandal could revive bitter political in-fighting, with Golkar politicians threatening to expose corruption cases involving other political leaders.

Expulsion possible

Local media quoted the former head of the state food agency Bulog, Rahardi Ramelan, as saying that money aimed at helping Indonesians suffering in the Asian financial crisis was channelled to Mr Tandjung while he was state secretary in a previous government.

If found to have misused state funds, Mr Tandjung could be expelled from parliament and his party disbanded.

Fifty members of parliament from various parties supported the call to investigate the scandal.

"We're only asking for justice," said Ali Masykur Musa, from former President Abdurrahman Wahid's Nation Awakening Party.

"Therefore we want parliament to investigate where the non-budgetary funds went... This is not revenge or to topple somebody."

But no Golkar legislators have supported the moves.

Golkar was the ruling party of former President Suharto, whose more than three decades of autocratic rule ended three years ago.

It came second to Megawati's Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle in the 1999 elections with 22% of the vote and its support is crucial to the administration.

Corruption was rife under President Suharto, and President Megawati has pledged to eliminate it.