House told to pick nine supreme justice candidates<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A group of nongovernmental organizations
\nsuggested the House of Representatives on Thursday pick nine out
\nof around 40 supreme justice candidates now under its close
\nwatch.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)
\nBambang Widjojanto told the House commission III for legal and
\ndomestic affairs the nine supreme justice hopefuls deserve the
\nposts due to their moral integrity, legal expertise and political
\nindependency.<\/p>\n
\"After assessing the candidates, we recommend that only nine
\nof them fit the bill for supreme justice seats,\" Bambang,
\nspokesman for the NGOs, said.<\/p>\n
The organizations, which included the Indonesian Advocate
\nAssociation (Ikadin), Independent Journalist Association (AJI),
\nIndonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) and the National Committee for
\nLegal Reform (KRHN); listed Abdurrahman Saleh, Artidjo Alkostar,
\nBagir Manan, Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, Ben Suhanda Syah, Erna
\nSofwan Sukri, Rifyal Ka'bah, Syamsulhadi and Valerina Klerkoff as
\nthe appropriate candidates.<\/p>\n
Around 40 people have been nominated by the Supreme Court, the
\ngovernment and the House to fill the shoes of 12 retiring supreme
\njustices.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, President Abdurrahman Wahid's
\npreference for the chief justice post, topped the government
\nlist. Golkar, meanwhile, campaigned for former justice minister
\nand state minister\/secretary Muladi.<\/p>\n
Bambang said the joint groups rejected candidates proposed by
\npolitical parties to avoid conflict of interests. Legislators
\nhave also been sidelined from the list out of fear of their
\npolitical objectives.<\/p>\n
The House's Commission I chairman Amin Aryoso and his deputy
\nchairman Hartono Mardjono were reportedly nominated by the
\nIndonesian Advocate Union (IAI). Amin confirmed his nomination on
\nThursday but said he had rejected it.<\/p>\n
\"I prefer to be a House member,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The group's refusal to support the nominations of political
\nparties prompted \"protests\" from legislators.<\/p>\n
\"We political parties have the right to nominate candidates
\nfor supreme justices. We should see candidates from their
\ncredibility,\" Ali Marwan Hanan from the United Development Party
\n(PPP) said.<\/p>\n
He said that political parties proposed candidates upon the
\nrequest of their constituencies and the public.<\/p>\n
Firman Tjahyadi from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction urged the working group not to
\nreject nominations from political parties.<\/p>\n
\"We are also just a door which is open to the public. We also
\nselect candidates from the public,\" Firman said.<\/p>\n
Separately, the People's Consultative Assembly's 10 factions
\ndeliberating constitutional amendments suggested that the
\nconstitution clearly define an independent Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
\"The court should be free from any intervention and
\nresponsible to the Assembly,\" deputy chairman of the Assembly's
\nad hoc committee on constitutional amendment, Slamet Effendy
\nYusuf, said.<\/p>\n
He said all factions agreed to propose that supreme justices
\nand the chief justice be elected by the Assembly, instead of the
\nHouse legislators. (jun)<\/p>",
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