Recruitment of judges must be impartial<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Noted legal observer Bambang Widjojanto warned the House of
\nRepresentatives, Supreme Court and the President on Friday to set
\naside political interests in the recruitment of judges for the
\nConstitutional Court.<\/p>\n
\"It's too dangerous if they gamble on this issue because it
\nwould risk the country's future,\" Bambang said during a media
\nconference.<\/p>\n
The House endorsed the bill on the constitutional court on
\nWednesday, paving the way for establishment of the court.<\/p>\n
Under the bill, which will automatically become law 30 days
\nafter its endorsement, the court's nine judges would be appointed
\nby the president, House and Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
Bambang said independent and capable judges were mandatory for
\nthe court as it had the power to settle political disputes,
\nimpeach the president or vice president and review the country's
\nlegislation to ensure that it did not conflict with the
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the three institutions must not install
\nunsuitable candidates simply in order to beat the Aug. 17
\ndeadline.<\/p>\n
\"If they have only one capable candidate, then let it be, as
\nit will not violate the Constitution. However, they should
\ncontinue the selection afterward, but properly,\" Bambang
\nsuggested.<\/p>\n
Public participation and a test of suitability, he said, were
\nmandatory to ensure that independent and credible judges were
\nappointed.<\/p>\n
\"Public participation will support the transparency of the
\nrecruitment,\" he said, asking the three institutions to allow
\nthe public to propose candidates.<\/p>\n
National Consortium for Law Reform (KRHN) chairman Firmansyah
\nArifin demanded the transparent recruitment of judges.<\/p>\n
He said the president, the House, and the Supreme Court should
\nnot turn the Constitutional Court into a political instrument for
\nthe interests of any particular institution.<\/p>\n
\"Do not turn the Constitutional Court into a political
\ninstrument or place of power sharing as this will affect the
\ncredibility of the new court,\" Firmansyah said.<\/p>\n
However, Chief Justice Bagir Manan brushed aside possible
\npublic participation in the recruitment process, saying that he
\nhad the prerogative to choose candidates from his institutions.<\/p>\n
\"I have the privilege to appoint candidates from the Supreme
\nCourt,\" he said at his office on Friday, saying the selection
\nwould be carried out by his office.<\/p>\n
When asked whether the Supreme Court would carry out a test of
\nsuitability on candidates, he replied, \"What for? I know the
\ncapabilities of my judges.\"<\/p>\n
Bagir said candidates from the Supreme Court were from high
\ncourts.<\/p>\n
\"They must also be good,\" he said, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
On the second day of the selection process, a House team
\nassigned to choose Constitutional Court judges had not received
\nany names nominated by factions for judge positions in the new
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
Selection team member M. Akil Mochtar, of the Golkar Party,
\nsaid on Friday that his team was awaiting nominations from the
\nHouse faction until Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"We have not received any nominations. We will wait until
\nSaturday,\" Akil told The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
The House team is scheduled to announce publicly the names of
\ncandidates on Saturday afternoon and looks forward to receiving
\npublic comment on them.<\/p>",
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