Attorney general must clean house first, say experts

JAKARTA (JP): Legal practitioners underlined here on Monday the importance for the next attorney general to give priority to internal reform before launching a huge campaign against criminal offenses, including the eradication of rampant corruption in the country.

Achmad Ali, an expert staff member for the Attorney General's Office, argued that it would be useless starting the appointment by arresting as many graft suspects as possible if the integrity of the state prosecutors was still in question.

"A dirty floor cannot be swept with a dirty broom, so the broom should be cleaned first. Therefore, anyone to be appointed attorney general should immediately declare their wealth and urge all other prosecutors to follow suit.

"The prosecutors should be forbidden from playing golf because, at the existing salary level, they should not be able to afford the club fees. The golfing is feared of being used as a table for negotiations," Achmad said.

"The supremacy of law can only be upheld if the law enforcers listen harder to their conscience, rather than their stomachs," he remarked.

Achmad made the remarks at a discussion after the launching of a book comprising the late Attorney General Baharuddin Lopa's writings on how to curb white collar crime. His writings were published in the Kompas daily during the period from 1980 until late 2000.

Lopa, who died last month of heart failure, was known for his integrity and strong commitment to upholding law and justice. He had become a role model for the country's law enforcers tasked with combating corruption.

Achmad believes that success in promoting law and justice does not depend on the availability of sophisticated laws, but on selection of the right person to run the legal institutions, including the judges and Supreme Court justices.

Achmad's name was recently mentioned as one of the candidates for the vacant Attorney General seat in President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Cabinet.

Munir, from the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI), said that an attorney general actually functions as a mirror to the current president, reflecting the administration's vision on law enforcement.

"So if the government's policies are based on the nation's unity, territorial integrity or financial market interests, then I'm afraid that law and justice can be set aside for the sake of the government's interests," he said.

Considering the government's stance to satisfy market demands, he suggested that the next attorney general could be someone who is not suitable for the post.

Munir underlined the importance of holding public consultation in selection of the attorney general to avoid political interference.

He said that by opening registration for eligible candidates followed by open debate with the public, the government can again obtain people's faith in the legal institutions, thereby ending the political risk of giving empty hopes to the people.

"We don't need a kind of superman and the people should stop dreaming of having another Lopa. All we need is an attorney general who dares to make a change and create a system with principles, where nobody can commit a crime just because he or she has political immunity that puts them out of the law's reach," he added.

In a related development, Judicial Watch revealed here on Monday nine candidates nominated by the public as being suitable for the attorney general position. They include Achmad, former secretary general of forestry Soeripto, legislator J.E. Sahetapy, Supreme Court Justice Artidjo Alkostar, former attorney general Marsillam Simandjuntak and Acting Attorney General Soeparman.

The three others are noted lawyers Adnan Buyung Nasution, Muchyar Yara and Todung Mulya Lubis. (bby)