AGO delays execution of criminals on death row

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.

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Lili's case is a pure crime, says AGO
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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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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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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.