Benjamin gains support to head Supreme Court<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, a reputed former
\njudge, is the right man to head the Supreme Court, and his
\npromotion to hold the post is lawful, a Yogyakarta-based law
\nexpert, Prof. M. Mahfud MD says.<\/p>\n
The professor at the Indonesian Islamic University (UII) said
\non Thursday that he supported President Abdurrahman Wahid's plan
\nto promote Benjamin, who is currently a member of the National
\nCommission on Human Rights.<\/p>\n
\"He is one of few judges with integrity and independent
\njudgement in upholding the law. I think he is the right man for
\nthe top position in the supreme court (MA),\" he told The Jakarta
\nPost here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He said there was an urgent need to implement judicial reform
\nin the country. \"The reform movement will succeed if most of the
\nsupreme court judges were replaced by new ones,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Several supreme court judges have expressed their intention to
\nquit if Benjamin is appointed the head of the Supreme Court. They
\nsaid Benjamin was 'too junior' to head the prestigious body.<\/p>\n
Some said that President Abdurrahman's plan was not in
\ncompliance with law No. 14\/1985 on Supreme Court. The law
\nspecifies, among other things, that the chief of the Supreme
\nCourt is recruited from career judges and that the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) (not the President) has the prerogative to
\nelect the chief justice.<\/p>\n
\"The House of Representatives, has the responsibility to
\ninitiate the replacement of the supreme court chief and they
\nshould support President Abdurrahman's candidate for the
\nposition,\" Mahfud said.<\/p>\n
Mahfud contended that judicial reform would not work unless a
\n'major overhaul' in judicial incumbents was made.<\/p>\n
\"Almost all judges have been spoiled by corruption and
\ncollusion,\" he said. \"Only a few of them are still clean.\"<\/p>\n
He also emphasized that the \"mafia at court\" could not be
\nwiped out without cleaning up the Supreme Court first.<\/p>\n
He said Abdurrahman's wish to promote Benjamin was fair.
\nBetter than nominating 'somebody else' from another profession.<\/p>\n
According to Mahfud, the current law on Supreme Court should
\nbe revised in order to make it possible for those considered
\nqualified, not just career judges, to lead the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
\"Because the position was more a political post than a public
\nservant post. It is similar with the Attorney General post,\" he
\nsaid. (44)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/benjamin-gains-support-to-head-supreme-court-1447893297",
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