Govt to seek political solution on Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman further fueled
\nspeculation the government would opt for a political solution to
\ncorruption allegations against former president Soeharto, saying
\non Friday justice could be served equally through a political or
\nlegal resolution.<\/p>\n
"It goes together. Justice can be achieved through legal means
\nand through a political solution," Marzuki said when asked by
\nreporters at the State Palace whether a political solution would
\nbe contrary to the legal evidence collected.<\/p>\n
"They are mutually strengthening," he said.<\/p>\n
Both Marzuki and President Abdurrahman Wahid have stated they
\nintend to reopen the case against the former president.<\/p>\n
However, Abdurrahman has indicated that upon collecting enough
\nevidence it would be better simply to assess how much money
\nSoeharto was obliged to return to the state.<\/p>\n
Marzuki conceded President Abdurrahman was drafting a formula
\nfor a political solution to the case.<\/p>\n
"Yes, the President is developing a formula for a political
\ndecision. That is completely the prerogative of the President and
\noffers a whole solution to the case," he said.<\/p>\n
"The duty of the Attorney General's Office is to provide
\nlegal foundations and to carefully examine the details of the
\ncase ... my duty is to provide a solid legal foundation on why
\nand how this case should be resolved judicially," Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki did not indicate when he would resume the
\ninvestigation or how long it would take to conclude.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, the Legal Aid Foundation in
\nYogyakarta welcomed the appointment of Marzuki as attorney
\ngeneral and Yusril Ihza Mahendra as minister of law and
\nlegislation.<\/p>\n
Marzuki's appointment will bring "fresh air" to the high-
\nprestige cases which previously were deliberately neglected,
\nfoundation chairman Budi Santoso said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The statement also said it was expected that Marzuki, with his
\npolitical virtue, could thoroughly investigate the Soeharto case.<\/p>\n
"With his moral integrity and his commitment to reform and to
\nuphold the supremacy of law, it is expected that Marzuki can
\nrepair the tainted image of the Attorney General's Office," Budi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the appointment of Yusril, Budi said it was a
\nstrategic step taken by the President, and that establishing the
\nministry of law and legislation and scrapping the ministry of
\njustice would end the ambivalence which often occurred between
\nthe Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice.<\/p>\n
"This is also an attempt to eliminate executive intervention
\nin the judiciary, as often happened," Budi said.<\/p>\n
Yusril's ministry is expected to integrate the country's legal
\nproducts so there will be no overlap, he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Yusril said on Friday his ministry would be the
\nsole ministry responsible for producing legal products.<\/p>\n
"We will hold talks with the state minister of administrative
\nreforms, who oversees the Cabinet Secretariat, to discuss moving
\nthe legislation-producing mechanism from the Cabinet Secretariat
\nto our ministry," he said during a break in the inauguration
\nceremony at the ministry in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"The ministry will be the center of law so there will be no
\nmore overlap in making legislation," he said.<\/p>\n
The ceremony also was attended by former minister of justice
\nMuladi. (prb\/emf\/23\/asa)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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