AGO delays execution of criminals on death row
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Attorney General's Office has decided to delay the execution of six convicted criminals on death row after they filed a second review with the Supreme Court.
Office spokesman Antasari Azhar said on Wednesday that a panel of judges at the Supreme Court had sent a letter to Palembang Prosecutor's Office in South Sumatra to delay the execution of convicted criminal Jurit Abdullah pending the completion of his review.
"The judges told the Palembang Prosecutor's Office to postpone the execution as they are currently reviewing the convict's case," Antasari said.
Jurit was sentenced to death for his role in killing a family in Palembang in the 1980s.
Five other convicted criminals -- Suryadi Swabuana, Ayodhya Chaubey, Sumiasis, Djais Prayitno, and Sugeng -- have also filed a review of their cases with the Supreme Court, Antarasari said.
;JP;MUN;BBY; ANPAa..r.. AGO-lili-revenge Lili's case is a pure crime, says AGO JP/4/Lili
1 x 5 columns, 36 Lili's case criminal, says AGO Muninggar Sri Saraswati Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak The Jakarta Post Jakarta
The Attorney General's Office (AGO) made a point to refute speculation that revenge was the motive in its move to hold the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) Deputy Chairman Lili Asdjudiredja as a suspect in a corruption case.
Late last year, Lili made an official report to the police about Attorney General M. A. Rachman's dubious ownership of a luxury mansion in Jakarta.
"Observe the case clearly, please. Don't try to put us and KPKPN in a dispute. This case is a pure crime," said AGO spokesman, Antasari Azhar, during a press conference here on Wednesday, as he made reference to Lili's case.
Lili Asdjudiredja, the KPKPN deputy chairman, has been named a suspect in his capacity as the commissioner president of PT Sebatin, which was recently accused of embezzling a total of Rp 4 billion (US$450,000) drawn from the Bank Indonesia's Liquidity Loan (KLBI) and bridging funds from state-owned Bank Bumi Daya and Bank Mandiri.
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4 x 2 columns, 36 Factions reject restrictions on presidential candidacies Kurniawan Hari The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Most factions in the House of Representatives (DPR) rejected on Wednesday a clause in the presidential election bill that states that only political parties that win 20 percent or more seats in the House can contest the presidential elections.
The nine factions, however, differed on whether or not legislative and presidential elections are to be contested at the same time.
The faction's stance was disclosed last night during a hearing between legislators and Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.
The two biggest factions, PDI Perjuangan and Golkar, did not specifically reveal their objections to the 20 percent threshold clause, only questioning the legal basis for the restrictions.
Apart from discussing the two controversial issues, each faction also floated various opinions, ranging from requirements for presidential candidates to campaign funding limits.
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1 x 5 columns, 36 Experts warn of more dangers in military bill Tiarma Siboro The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Experts have warned of more loopholes in the controversial military bill and urged the public at large to be vigilant against the return of the military to the country's political life.
Rizal Sukma of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said on Wednesday that Article 7 of the military bill allowed the military's return to politics.
Article 7 of the bill, which Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil has promised to revise, suggests that the Army carry out its duties based on its doctrine and operational strategy.
This article, according to Rizal, could be interpreted by the Army alone based on its own interests and conditions.
Some military observers said earlier that the Army has recently drafted a new doctrine reinstating their dominant territorial role slowly scrapped following the downfall of former dictator president Soeharto in 1998.
Rights campaigner Munir, meanwhile, warned the public at large that the Army's latest doctrine was strongly related to election law No. 12/2003 which stipulates that legislative candidates should not have been involved or implicated in the abortive coup d'etat on Sept. 30, 1965 blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party.