Consolidation first, says new Chief Justice<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): New Chief Justice Sarwata took office yesterday
\npromising to consolidate the Supreme Court which has been beset
\nby internal dissent and a huge backlog of litigation cases.<\/p>\n
Sarwata made it clear that the consolidation move would
\ninvolve all fellow justices, including Adi Andojo whom former
\nChief Justice Soerjono considered an enfant terrible.<\/p>\n
\"I would like to underline that the first thing I will do is
\nconsolidate, and I will not go it alone,\" Sarwata said after
\ntaking his oath of office in the presence of President Soeharto
\nand other senior government officials at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
\"We will consult all the justices,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether Justice Adi would be involved in the
\nconsolidation effort, Sarwata said: \"He is (still) one of the
\nleaders of the Supreme Court.\"<\/p>\n
Justice Adi, deputy chief for criminal cases, has been
\nfighting to clean up the Supreme Court's image, amidst
\nallegations of corruption.<\/p>\n
His lone crusade became public knowledge in April when a
\nconfidential letter he sent to the then chief justice, demanding
\nan investigation into the possible irregularities of a case,
\nfound its way to the press.<\/p>\n
Justice Adi was subsequently reprimanded, and Soerjono
\npetitioned President Soeharto to remove him from the Supreme
\nCourt for insubordination. The request is still pending.<\/p>\n
Soerjono turned 65 yesterday and was retired. Adi will reach
\nmandatory retirement age next April.<\/p>\n
Sarwata, 61, who hails from North Sumatra, joined the Supreme
\nCourt in 1990. He has served as deputy for military tribunals
\nsince 1993.<\/p>\n
A 1962 graduate of Gadjah Mada University's School of Law, he
\nhas spent most of his legal career in military courts. He retired
\nas a commodore from the Air Force.<\/p>\n
When reporters asked him about his plans for the court, he
\nsaid: \"Give me time. But I promise it will be as soon as
\npossible.\"<\/p>\n
He said he would base his leadership on musyawarah (consmnsus)
\nwith other Supreme Court members, particularly with the deputy
\nchiefs.<\/p>\n
\"I make no promises, but in discharging our duty, we will do
\nour best and we will act as fairly as we can. We will strive to
\nbe honest in establishing law and justice,\" he said.<\/p>\n
At the same ceremony, T.H. Ketut Suraputra took his oath of
\noffice as new vice chief justice, replacing M. Djaelani who
\nretired last month.<\/p>\n
Suraputra, 61 from Bali, has served in the Supreme Court since
\n1982. His former position was deputy chief for the state
\nadministrative court.<\/p>\n
Sarwata and Suraputra were appointed by presidential decrees
\non the recommendation of the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Suraputra said after the short ceremony that the Supreme Court
\nwas open to suggestions on reducing the backlog of cases awaiting
\nthe court.<\/p>\n
Soerjono said early this week that 14,000 cases are now still
\npending in the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court now needs to appoint two new deputies to
\nfill Suraputra and Sarwata's old seats.<\/p>\n
The court is also waiting for 10 new justices to be appointed
\nto replace those who reach mandatory retirement age this year.<\/p>\n
In the oath taking ceremony, Sarwata read his oath as a Moslem
\nwhile Suraputra read his as a Hindu.<\/p>\n
Also present were Vice President Try Sutrisno, House Speaker
\nWahono the chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency J.B. Sumarlin and
\nmembers of the cabinet. (emb)<\/p>",
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