'All Soeharto family members should be tried'

Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra became the first member of the once-untouchable Cendana family to face the prospect of spending a long time behind bars. The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced him to 15 years in jail for the murder of Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita on July 26 last year, illegal possession of firearms and fleeing justice. What do people have to say about the verdict? Can it erase the tarnished image of the corrupt judiciary?

Rismanto, 40, a gorengan (fried snack) vendor in Blok M area, South Jakarta. He has been living in the city for 20 years.

"It's good to hear that Tommy has been convicted of his crimes. He deserves that. Most people, including me, were wondering if the courts would convict him as they usually favor the rich and powerful.

But I don't think the sentence term is long enough for his crimes. He did terrible things and the law could not touch him while his father was president. He must be sentenced to life at least.

Hopefully, Tommy and his family will learn that he is just the same as anyone else before the law. A man must be responsible for his actions. However, he didn't have the guts to appear before the hearing on Friday. He is not a gentleman, he is a chicken."

Atin, 30, who has been a newspaper man for six years. He lives in Slipi, West Jakarta and is single.

"Fifteen years is not enough for a criminal like Tommy! I am terribly disappointed with the court's decision. He should have received a longer sentence or even the death penalty.

Despite the guilty verdict, it does not mean that the judiciary has improved. The system is bad and the judges are still far from being respected.

I'm afraid the judicial process was engineered. I wonder if the judges had committed a crime or malpractice.

I am of the opinion that the whole Soeharto family should be brought to court. Let the public pass judgment. Soeharto upset people with his harmful actions when he ruled the country.

If all of them were brought to court, this would set a (good) example of law enforcement, I think.

If they stood trial and received the most severe possible punishment, street criminals would stop committing crimes."

Evi, 20, a waitress at a food stall in Palmerah, Central Jakarta. She comes from Magelang, Central Java and has been living in Grogol, West Jakarta for two years.

"The sentence handed down to Tommy should have been more severe. It's too lenient for his ill behavior.

Tommy and the rest of the Cendana family are evil. They exploited poor people in the country for their own welfare. How can he only get 15 years in jail? It's unfair.

He must be very happy for getting only 15 years in jail, because he deserves the death penalty or a life sentence.

Personally, it was not a satisfying court decision for ordinary people like me."