Legal Aid Foundation custodians defend election<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The custodians of the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nFoundation (YLBHI) yesterday defended their decision to appoint
\nBambang Widjojanto as the executive chairman, despite accusations
\nthat the election was \"undemocratic\".<\/p>\n
Bambang's election is final, Adnan Buyung Nasution, a member
\nof YLBHI's Board of Trustees, told a media conference at the
\nfoundation's head office.<\/p>\n
\"The board of trustees is the highest authority in a
\nfoundation. People must abide by its decisions,\" Buyung said.<\/p>\n
Buyung said foundation status is still the most appropriate
\nfor an organization like YLBHI to help it survive the current
\npolitical climate in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The board is under pressure to hold another election from many
\nof the foundation's senior staff and leaders in its regional
\noffices. The critics argue that the decision on YLBHI's
\nleadership is too important to be left to the trustees alone.<\/p>\n
Some of those critics have since formed a federation which
\nthey say is intended to save the YLBHI from disintegration. They
\nsaid the federation will conduct the foundation's day-to-day
\nactivities pending a new election.<\/p>\n
Present at the media conference yesterday were Board of
\nTrustees chairman Harjono Tjitrosoebeno, secretary Aswab Mahasin,
\nmember Ali Sadikin and election committee members Todung Mulya
\nLubis and Tuti Heraty Noerhadi Roosseno.<\/p>\n
As the briefing took place, some of the dissenters were
\nworking in their offices on the same premises, some occasionally
\npassing the briefing room to eavesdrop.<\/p>\n
Bambang Widjojanto, a lawyer with plenty of experience in
\nhandling controversial political cases, won seven of the 16 votes
\nin the election by the board of trustees on Feb. 29. He replaced
\nBuyung who resigned from the post last October.<\/p>\n
Bambang has been given until Monday to announce the line up of
\nhis executive board.<\/p>\n
Harjono said that the federation formed by the dissenters runs
\ncounter to YLBHI's statutes. \"We do not recognize a federation in
\nour organization,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The federation includes six figures who ran for the post --
\nMulyana W. Kusumah, Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan, Amartiwi Saleh,
\nH.J.C. Princen, Hendardi and Rambun Tjayo -- and representatives
\nof six regional offices in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang,
\nYogyakarta, Bandar Lampung and Ujungpandang.<\/p>\n
Buyung disclosed that he had listed Bambang as his third
\nchoice for successor after Frans Hendra Winarta and the duet of
\nLuhut M.P. Pangaribuan and Mulyana W. Kusumah. But when their
\nnames were proposed to the regional offices, most opted for
\nBambang.<\/p>\n
\"Bambang is the right person for the post despite his low key
\nappearance. He has a balanced judgment on every problem, has a
\nsolid network with other NGOs, he is not an emotional person and
\nmost importantly, he is still young,\" he said. (imn)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legal-aid-foundation-custodians-defend-election-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }