Independent judicial branch needed: Muladi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Muladi said the judicial
\nbranch could build a respected and effective legal system only if
\nit was free from intervention from the executive and legislative
\nbranches.<\/p>\n
\"Efforts to uphold the system cannot succeed by wiping away
\ncorruption and collusion alone. It also has to be free from
\nintervention,\" said Muladi at Diponegoro University in Semarang,
\nCentral Java.<\/p>\n
Muladi, sworn in as minister last week, urged the elite to
\nrespect judicial independence and not meddle in legal decisions.<\/p>\n
Such intervention is a direct infringement of human rights, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Whoever it is, whether it's the executive or legislative
\nbranches, I implore you not to violate these human rights,\" he
\nasserted.<\/p>\n
Muladi was quoted by Antara on Saturday as saying that the
\nindependence of a judge to make a decision free from political
\nduress is protected by the constitution.<\/p>\n
He also urged judges to maintain their integrity, assuring
\nthem positive evaluations if they did.<\/p>\n
He pointed to Yogyakarta's Bantul District Court judge Endang
\nSri Murwati who handed down a decision last year to free Dwi
\nSumadji after it was found that there was insufficient evidence
\nto sentence him for the murder of Bernas journalist Fuad Muhammad
\nSyafruddin.<\/p>\n
Muladi said Endang's good performance record prompted the
\nministry to promote her to the head of the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court.<\/p>\n
\"We will provide some sort of incentive for judges, either
\nthrough promotions or something else, who truly maintain high
\nprofessional integrity,\" Muladi said.<\/p>\n
He said he would initiate dialogs with the legal community to
\ntackle problems in the system, including what has been called the
\n\"court mafia\".<\/p>\n
Muladi said he was personally disinclined to use the term
\n\"court mafia\" since infractions had yet to become too severe.<\/p>\n
Seer<\/p>\n
Several leading Islamic religious leaders have objected to a
\nremark by Muladi that he would employ a soothsayer to catch the
\nnotorious Eddy Tansil.<\/p>\n
After his appointment last week, Muladi said he would employ
\nall means available, including a paranormal if necessary, to
\ncatch the Rp 1.3 trillion swindler who escaped from prison.<\/p>\n
Berita Buana reported yesterday that Muladi's remark created a
\nstir in the religious community, which considered his statement
\nas going against Islamic teachings.<\/p>\n
Ali Yafie of the Indonesian Ulemas Council, said Islam does
\nnot recognize paranormals and thus regretted that a minister
\nwould say he would resort to using one for official purposes.<\/p>\n
Attaillah Hamidi of the Indonesian Propogation Council also
\nsaid that Islam does not condone or recognize the use of
\nsoothsayers.<\/p>\n
Islam emphasizes prayers and hard work, he said. (mds)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/independent-judicial-branch-needed-muladi-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }