Muladi: Gus Dur has little legal knowledge<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): President Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid's order
\nto delay legal proceedings against three of the country's most
\nindebted businessmen just demonstrates the President's
\ninsufficient knowledge of the law, says newly-appointed justice
\nMuladi.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur should have consulted legal experts before making
\nstatements on law-related matters,\" the former minister of
\njustice, Muladi, told journalists here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The President also had no legal authority to postpone any
\nlegal process. \"His prerogative rights only include giving
\npardon, amnesty and abolition.\"<\/p>\n
\"Therefore Gus Dur should have asked the Attorney General or
\nMinister of Justice before making any statements relating to
\nlegal affairs, or people will again be startled by his confusing
\nstatements,\" said Muladi.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman made the controversial statement in Seoul last
\nweek when he admitted to having ordered the Attorney General's
\nOffice to delay the prosecution of the chairman of Texmaco Group,
\nMarimutu Sinivasan, chairman of Barito Pacific Group Prajogo
\nPangestu, and Gadjah Tunggal Group chairman Syamsul Nursalim.<\/p>\n
The three owe billions of dollars in bad debts to the
\nIndonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA).<\/p>\n
The President's decision was based on the fact that the
\nbusiness groups were major exporters who could contribute to the
\ncountry's economic recovery.<\/p>\n
\"I think that the President just used his logic (when making
\nthe statements),\" Muladi said. \"Things must be transparent. How
\nfar would the delay in the legal proceedings benefit the workers,
\nexports and the country's industry?\"<\/p>\n
\"Anyhow, the President's order is not legally sound. It's just
\na statement. The House of Representatives should ask the
\nPresident for clarification on the issue of the three business
\ntycoons.\"<\/p>\n
\"The Attorney General has the authority to inform the public
\nabout the legal proceedings against the three businessmen,\" said
\nMuladi, former rector of the Semarang-based Diponegoro
\nUniversity.<\/p>\n
Asked about the idea of the establishment of a new
\nintelligence body, Muladi said that the existing intelligence
\nbody needed to be reorganized. \"I am of the opinion that we don't
\nneed a new intelligence body.\"<\/p>\n
It was Minister of Defense Mahfud MD who aired the idea on the
\nformation of a new intelligence body.<\/p>\n
\"Reorganizing the State Intelligence Coordinating Agency
\n(Bakin) would be better,\" Muladi said, adding that Indonesia now
\nalso needed laws on intelligence to make clear-cut duties for an
\nintelligence body.<\/p>\n
\"The laws will enable the intelligence body to work more
\nappropriately in protecting the state, including the maintenance
\nof human rights.\" (har\/sur)<\/p>",
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