Akbar keeping wolves at bay
Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The five-judge Supreme Court bench examining Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung's appeal failed to hand down a decision on Thursday, arguing that they needed more time to discuss the legal issues involved.
The five, led by Justice Paulus Effendy Lotulung, discussed Akbar's appeal for two-and-a-half hours but failed to reach a consensus. They agreed to reconvene next Wednesday (Feb. 4).
"In cases involving complex legal issues, it is quite normal to hold several meetings as there are many legal issues to be considered," Paulus said.
Dozens of protesters threw rotten tomatoes at the Supreme Court building in Central Jakarta after they learned that the justices had failed to arrive at a decision.
While the five justices were discussing his appeal, Akbar was meeting Golkar leaders at his office in the House. The party big- wigs summoned included secretary-general Budi Harsono, co- chairmen Slamet Effendi Yusuf, Agung Laksono, Mahadi Sinambela, Rambe Kamarulzaman and Bomer Pasaribu, and influential party members such as Hajriyanto Y. Thohari, Rusdi Zen, Antony Abidin, Soeharsojo and Baharuddin Aritonang.
Akbar, who is also the speaker of the House of Representatives, appealed to the Supreme Court against his three- year jail sentence for graft. A decision by the Supreme Court to uphold Akbar's conviction would put an end to his presidential ambitions.
Promising to incorporate any dissenting opinions in the Supreme Court's final decision, Paulus said that the five justices would have to decide the case by a vote if they failed to reach an agreement. The new Supreme Court Law requires any dissenting opinions to be attached to majority decisions of the court.
"Our legal opinions will be issued after we announce our decision," Paulus said.
Separately, Justice Abdul Rahman Saleh, a member of the judicial panel hearing the Akbar appeal, said that the discussion during the meeting "was difficult", referring to the existence of different opinions among the justices. He declined, however, to provide details.
However, Chief Justice Bagir Manan was upset when reporters asked him about the one-week delay.
"Please allow us to examine the case independently. Don't push us. Now, you're making me angry," he said to the dozens of reporters surrounding him.
Hendardi, the chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Institute (PBHI), said on Thursday that the public had every right to believe that backroom deals and political chicanery were behind the delay.
"I do not believe they will be able to resist political string-pulling ahead of the general election," said Hendardi, adding that the Supreme Court had come under intense pressure in Akbar's case.
Hendardi said the largest party in the current House, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) would like to see Akbar acquitted.
"Golkar is the biggest party and the PDI Perjuangan would most likely be interested in going into coalition with it. If the Supreme Court upholds Akbar's conviction, the PDI Perjuangan will not be able to predict its future course. This, of course, is not in their interests," he explained.
Akbar was originally sentenced to four years in jail by the Central Jakarta District Court, which was reduced to three years on appeal by the Jakarta High Court, for misusing Rp 40 billion (US$4.8 million) in State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds.