Advocates unite to fight corruption

JAKARTA: Indonesian lawyers have moved to unite seven bar associations to improve professionalism among lawyers so as to help restore a sense of respect in the country's judiciary.

Senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution said on Monday that consolidation among the bar associations would contribute to efforts to reduce corruption and collusion between lawyers and judges.

He added that the associations would outline a shared code of ethics, to be referred to by all advocates.

The seven bar associations are the Indonesian Advocates Union (Ikadin), the Indonesian Advocates Association (AAI), the Union of Indonesian Lawyers (IPHI), the Union of Indonesian Advocates and Lawyers (HAPI), the Indonesian Lawyers Union (SPI), the Association of Indonesian Legal Consultants (AKHI) and the Union of Stock Exchange Law Consultants (HKHPM).

Indonesianist Daniel S. Lev, who also spoke at the discussion, said Indonesian lawyers needed a strong organization rather than laws to promote their profession.

A good law could not work without a strong advocate organization, he added. - JP