VP cannot interfere with Supreme Court<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): An constitutional law expert has stated that
\ndespite increasing public demands, neither the President nor the
\nVice President has the authority to investigate alleged
\ncorruption in the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
P.J. Suwarno, a staff lecturer at Sanata Dharma University,
\nsaid that according to the 1945 Constitution and a People's
\nConsultative Assembly decree, "neither the President nor the
\nVice President can interfere with the Supreme Court."<\/p>\n
The demand emerged after Deputy Chief Justice Adi Andojo
\nSoetjipto revealed that collusion and corruption allegedly took
\nplace in a document fraud case. Some observers have suggested
\nthat Adi ask the office of Vice President Try Sutrisno to launch
\nan investigation.<\/p>\n
"If those demands are met, than it means that there's an
\naccumulation of power in the hands of the President... This could
\nlead to authoritarian government," Suwarno told The Jakarta Post
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
He believes that the People's Consultative Assembly,
\nIndonesia's supreme sovereign body that meets every five years to
\nproduce the Broad Guidelines of State Policies and to elect the
\nPresident, should set up a committee to investigate the affair.<\/p>\n
The Constitution rules that the Supreme Court is an
\nindependent power with authority to adjudicate violations of laws
\ncommitted by individual citizens or the executive. The Assembly's
\ndecree No IV\/1978 stipulates that, in carrying out its duties,
\nthe Supreme Court is independent of the government's power and
\nother influences.<\/p>\n
Suwarno pointed out that under the existing system of
\ngovernment, the President, the Supreme Advisory Council, the
\nHouse of Representatives, the Supreme Audit Body and the Supreme
\nCourt, all have equal rank.<\/p>\n
"None of the five can dissolve or question the procedures of
\nthe others," Suwarno said.<\/p>\n
Only the People's Consultative Assembly has supremacy over,
\nand the authority to hold the five offices to account, he said.<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly comprises the 500 members
\nof the House of Representatives and 500 other appointees.<\/p>\n
Suwarno regretted the fact that most Indonesians hear of the
\nAssembly only after the general elections and just before the
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
"After undertaking the above activities, nothing is heard of
\nit anymore, despite the fact that the Assembly bears the people's
\nsovereignty," he said.<\/p>\n
Suwarno said that the Assembly should be more active during
\nits five year tenure. "The public should be able to come to the
\nbody anytime to protest about injustices and violations committed
\nby the government." (har\/swe)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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