Bintang protests his dismissal

JAKARTA (JP): Rebel politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas protested yesterday his recent dismissal as a staff lecturer at the state- run University of Indonesia, saying it was illegal.

His lawyer Bambang Widjojanto told a press conference the 1979 government regulation on dishonorable discharge for civil servants, which the government used for Bintang's dismissal, did not apply in this case.

"The regulation cannot be used... because this particular regulation is against higher laws," he said.

He cited the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) 1966 decree and the 1974 law on civil servants which say that a civil servant can be dismissed if proven guilty of crimes in relation with his position, or of attempts to undermine the state or government.

He said that Bintang had been convicted for defaming President Soeharto, not for committing a crime in relation to his position as a lecturer in the university.

The Central Jakarta District Court found Bintang guilty in May 1996. He was convicted for defaming the President during a series of lectures in Germany in 1995. The Jakarta High Court upheld the sentence in January as did the Supreme Court in April.

Bintang was facing a subversion trial for his activities in his Indonesian Democratic Union Party when he was moved to the Cipinang Prison on May 4 to begin his official prison term.

Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro confirmed Monday that Bintang has been discharged on May 12 as a staff lecturer at the University of Indonesia's School of Technology.

The 1979 regulation stipulates that a civil servant can be dishonorably discharged if convicted of an offense punishable with up to four years imprisonment.

Bambang said, "It is clear that the law doesn't regulate (the dismissal) of one who is convicted of a general crime regulated by the Criminal Code."

He asked the minister to reconsider the decision.

Bambang said that neither he, Bintang's family or the university had received notification of Bintang's dismissal from the ministry.

"The dismissal, handed out just like that, was unethical, broke the norms and procedure," he said. "It shows there is no respect for the teaching profession."

"Bintang had been teaching for 27 years but he was discharged just like that," Bambang said. (05)