I'll do it my way, says new justice minister Lopa<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Newly installed Minister of Justice and Human
\nRights Baharuddin Lopa said here on Monday that he would
\nemploy his own approach in efforts to reform the judicial system,
\nincluding measures to achieve greater control over delinquent
\njudges.<\/p>\n
\"If I may, I want to work in my own fashion, which I consider
\nwill be the most effective since we are now racing against time,\"
\nhe told journalists following a hand-over ceremony from his
\npredecessor Yusril Ihza Mahendra in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"There are too many things that must be done to correct the
\njudicial system, and it is not an easy job. But we will not stop
\ntrying or working hard.\"<\/p>\n
Lopa, a former director general of correctional facilities,
\ncited unreasonable verdicts handed down by judges, particularly
\nto defendants charged with corruption, as an indication of some
\njudges lacking integrity.<\/p>\n
\"There can be very striking differences between verdicts. In
\none region, for example, a defendant charged with corruption
\ninvolving Rp 100 million in state funds was sentenced to five
\nyears in jail, while here in Jakarta, the defendant in multi-
\nbillion rupiah case only got two years.\"<\/p>\n
\"We cannot let such things continue because we are losing
\npeople's trust. We must prioritize efforts to correct the judges'
\nobjective integrity ... and it's very difficult,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The 65-year-old Lopa said that he would do anything to
\nsupervise the judges. He added that when he was the director
\ngeneral he used to make impromptu visits to the penitentiaries at
\nnight.<\/p>\n
\"Everything is satisfactory in the light of day, but at night
\nyou might find that a convict was not in their cell. But (how I
\nwill supervise) the judges is still a secret,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Lopa, also a former Indonesian ambassador to Saudi Arabia,
\nsaid that he had asked President Abdurrahman Wahid to encourage
\nthe ministry to work hand in hand with the Supreme Court in
\nimproving the judges' performance.<\/p>\n
He argued that, although his office was authorized to train,
\nscreen and install the judges, in the performance of their
\njudicial functions they were accountable to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
Regarding the review of laws, Lopa said that his office would
\nstudy all of the existing laws and regulations carefully before
\ndeciding on what should be revoked, amended or introduced.<\/p>\n
\"The President has asked me to correct many things, but he
\nunderlined two things; controlling judges and the directorate
\ngeneral of immigration,\" he said. He did not elaborate on
\nconcerns regarding the immigration office.<\/p>\n
During the ceremony Lopa read out his circulated \"Feb. 12
\nAnnouncement\", copies of which were distributed to all judges as
\nwell as the ministry's offices located throughout the country.<\/p>\n
\"This announcement is to be put in their pockets to remind
\nthem of the importance of honesty, moral integrity and
\ndiscipline.<\/p>\n
\"So, hopefully there will be no abuse of power, including
\nbribery, which is the root of all crimes in the judicial
\ninstitutions,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Present at the ceremony were several former justice ministers,
\nincluding Ismail Saleh, Oetojo Oesman, Mochtar Kusumaatmadja and
\nMuladi. Former attorney general Muhammad Andi Ghalib was also in
\nattendance.<\/p>\n
After the ceremony Yusril and his wife were both in tears when
\nLopa and all the employees waved farewell as they left the
\nbuilding. One staff member recited a poem for Yusril. (bby)<\/p>",
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