Attorney general's replacement questioned

Irrespective of whether or not the attorney general's replacement is related to issues that are currently being debated in our community, it must be said that the government has in principle accorded his position a level equal to that of a cabinet minister.

The only problem is that no definite yardstick has yet been set to measure the extent of the independence an attorney general must be accorded in this reform era. It is important to have such a gauge because it is the attorney general's task, as assigned by the government, to expose any cases of corruption, collusion and nepotism that may exist in government departments and agencies.

Although the nomination of an attorney general is within the President's sphere of authority, people are asking themselves why this (sudden replacement of Attorney General Soedjono C. Atmonegoro) is still happening under the Development and Reform Cabinet. The government should exert greater judgment and wisdom in such matters and -- particularly in the case of the appointment of high-ranking officials -- give a clear explanation of whether the principle of the right man in the right place is being applied, or whether the considerations are of a political nature.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta