ASEAN to handle legal cases more efficiently<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Major cases involving capital punishment can now
\nbe handled more efficiently by ASEAN member countries through
\ndirect contact among their attorneys general, a statement issued
\nyesterday said.<\/p>\n
The statement is part of an agreement reached by the attorneys
\ngeneral of the six member countries of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who wound up their two-day
\nmeeting yesterday.<\/p>\n
The agreement, called the Jakarta Consensus, is designed to
\nfacilitate communication among ASEAN attorneys general in order
\nto solve their problems without undermining the sovereignty of
\neach other's legal systems.<\/p>\n
One point in the agreement requires an attorney general to
\ninform his counterpart the moment he learns that a citizen from
\nthat member country may be involved in a capital case.<\/p>\n
This is to avoid misunderstanding and slow the process of
\ncapital cases.<\/p>\n
The consensus also calls for joint legal research, education
\nprograms and exchanged visits of officials to study laws in ASEAN
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
\"Quick information on legal matters through direct contact
\neither by telephone, fax or invitation, among ASEAN attorneys
\ngeneral is crucial to penetrate bureaucratic channels,\"
\nIndonesian Attorney General Singgih said after signing the
\nconsensus.<\/p>\n
The other attorneys general who signed the agreement were
\nPengiran Haji Bahrin bin Haji Abas of Brunei, Datuk Mochtar
\nAbdullah of Malaysia, Raul I Goco of the Philippines, Chang Sek
\nKeong of Singapore and Kanit Nanakorn of Thailand.<\/p>\n
The importance of direct communication and information
\nexchanges among law enforcement officers in the region was given
\nfirst priority at the meeting.<\/p>\n
Relations between Singapore and the Philippines deteriorated
\nearlier this year following the hanging of a Filipino maid who
\nwas found guilty by a Singaporean court of double murder.<\/p>\n
Lack of information exchanges was also blamed for causing
\nsluggishness in bilateral legal proceedings among ASEAN members,
\nand things could worsen when capital punishment was involved.<\/p>\n
Jakarta, for example, has lodged a series of complaints
\nagainst Kuala Lumpur after Malaysian courts sentenced a number of
\nIndonesians working in Malaysia to death.<\/p>\n
\"Informal communication could avoid misunderstanding by ASEAN
\ncountries in dealing with legal problems,\" Goco said, adding that
\n\"in this case it is important that we do not go to the legality
\nof protocol.\"<\/p>\n
On Monday, during a courtesy call by the six ASEAN attorneys
\ngeneral to President Soeharto, the President called on member
\ncountries to forge closer ties in cracking down on crime.<\/p>\n
Joining Monday's visit to the Bina Graha presidential office
\nwas Vietnam's deputy attorney general Pham Sy Chien. Vietnam is
\nset to join ASEAN on Friday. (03)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-to-handle-legal-cases-more-efficiently-1447893297",
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