Court defends plan to fire Adi Andojo

JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court defended its plan to dismiss whistle-blower Justice Adi Andojo Soetjipto, saying that to have him around would ruin the court's reputation even more.

Spokesman for the Supreme Court, Toton Suprapto, acknowledged yesterday that firing Adi would be unpopular but to act fairly would be a "heavy burden" for the court.

"It is a tough choice actually," Toton said.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono broke the government's long silence last week when he publicly admitted that Chief Justice Soerjono had formally asked for President Soeharto's endorsement to fire Adi.

Since the announcement people have rallied to support Adi. Seven students from various student organizations went on a hunger strike In Purwokerto yesterday in opposition of the dismissal plan. A Jakarta lawyer has threatened to go on hunger strike to the death at the Supreme Court if Adi is dismissed.

Toton said that Soerjono was sympathetic to efforts to uproot corrupt practices at the Supreme Court. But, he said, court officials could not accept Adi's methods.

"Mr. Adi Andojo should have obeyed the chief justice's order for him to stop revealing internal court matters to the press. The court has a spokesperson to convey messages to the public," he said.

He added that Soerjono proposed the dismissal after Adi turned a deaf ear to his advice.

Adi said in Bandung yesterday he had no intention to sue Soerjono if he should lose his job for his cause to clean up the Supreme Court.

He said he thought legal action would not benefit him because the case would be handled by the chief justice's men anyway.

But he said he hoped President Soeharto would turn down Soerjono's proposal. "If the President endorses the plan, I would be sorry to see a lawyer die on a hunger strike," he said. (16/17/wah)