Officials: Manulife judges still being investigated<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Two months after a disciplinary committee from the Jakarta High
\nCourt was assigned to investigate bribery allegations against
\nthree judges, the public at large have not yet been informed of
\nwhether or not they violated the code of ethics when they
\ndeclared insurance company Manulife Indonesia bankrupt in June.<\/p>\n
The committee was slated to finish its work and propose a
\ncourse of action to the Justice Ministry and Supreme Court within
\n30 days of its establishment on Aug. 12<\/p>\n
However, to this point there has been no explanation from the
\ngovernment, the committee, the ministry or the Supreme Court
\n(MA).<\/p>\n
Spokesman of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry Hormat
\nTjapah said on Tuesday that his office had received a report from
\nthe disciplinary committee, but could not yet make it public.<\/p>\n
\"The report will be discussed first, in private, between the
\nJustice Minister (Yusril Ihza Mahendra) and Chief Justice Bagir
\nManan before it is announced to the public,\" Tjapah said.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta High Court decided to set up the committee in
\nAugust to investigate three Jakarta Commercial Court judges --
\nHasan Basri, Ch. Kristi Purnamiwulan, and Cahyono -- in which
\nthere was widespread speculation that the case was seriously
\ntainted by corruption, including bribery of the judges in order
\nthat they would declare P.T. Asuransi Jiwa Manulife Indonesia
\nbankrupt.<\/p>\n
The three drew waves of domestic and international criticism
\nwhen they declared Manulife Indonesia, a local unit of Canadian
\ngiant Manulife Financial, bankrupt for opting not to pay out
\ndividends in 1999, much to the chagrin of former partner and some
\n40 percent stakeholder, P.T. Dharmala Sakti Sejahtera, which was
\nbankrupt itself and desperate for cash.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court later overturned the verdict following
\nstrong protests from Canada.<\/p>\n
The three judges were suspended pending investigation into
\nallegations that they were bribed to declare the insurance firm
\nbankrupt.<\/p>\n
Bagir Manan said on Monday that he had issued an approval for
\nthe police to investigate the three judges if there was any
\ncriminal behavior involved.<\/p>\n
Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf refused to comment
\nTuesday on the investigation timetable and passed The Jakarta
\nPost on to a staff member who could not be reached.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Firman Wijaya, a lawyer for Hasan Basri, called for
\nan early announcement of result of the investigation.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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