Bintang's travel ban lawsuit rejected

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Administrative Court ruled yesterday that an overseas travel ban imposed on sacked legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas was legal.

A panel of judges led by Soedarto Radyo Soewarno concluded yesterday the Attorney General Singgih had done everything correctly when placing a second one-year travel ban on Bintang on April 18 last year for judicial reasons.

"The completion of legal proceeding of a criminal charges on Sri Bintang Pamungkas is an undisputable reason to allow the Attorney General to issue the second ban," the court said.

Bintang had his travel ban prolonged one day after his first one-year ban expired. He was barred traveling overseas while standing trial for defaming the President during a series of talks in Germany in 1995.

The former House of Representatives member from the United Development Party was sentenced to 34 years imprisonment by the Central Jakarta district court in 1995. He appealed to the High Court and lost. He then appealed to the Supreme Court and is awaiting the result of this attempt.

Judge Soedarto said the Immigration Law said nothing about the Attorney General's right to apply the ban.

Bintang won his lawsuit against his first ban in a trial presided over by Soedarto in December 1995; the Attorney General regained ground after the Supreme Court granted his appeal.

Bintang said after hearing the verdict yesterday he would appeal.

"I'm not the man who deserves the ban. I may have gone abroad but it doesn't mean I won't return home." he said. "Look at Sukarno (Indonesia's first president) and Nelson Mandela. Did they escape from their political opponents?" he added.

The Attorney General defended his decision, saying that Bintang "has the capacity, qualities and the high mobility needed" to flee and evade prosecution.

Bintang said the Attorney General banned him from traveling abroad on the grounds he might make statements that would disgrace the Indonesian government.

He predicted the Supreme Court would deliver its verdict on before his second travel ban term ends on April 18. "Unless the Attorney General extends the ban," he said.

Bintang has set up the Indonesian Democratic Union Party and vowed to run for the presidency during the People's Consultative Council general assembly next year. (amd)