Court drops Bintang's suit against minister

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta State Administrative Court threw out yesterday a lawsuit filed by politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas against Minister of Education Wardiman Djojonegoro for dismissing him from employment last year.

Presiding judge Is Daryono said the minister's decision to dismiss Bintang from his lectureship in the University of Indonesia's faculty of engineering in August last year was legal.

The decision "was not made arbitrarily and was in line with the principle of good governance," Antara quoted the judge as saying in the verdict.

Bintang's dismissal from the post came after the former United Development Party (PPP) legislator was convicted of defaming President Soeharto and sentenced to 34 months in prison last year.

The plaintiff said his removal violated the law on the dismissal of civil servants and complained that he was not given the opportunity to defend himself.

Bintang is currently facing subversion charges at the South Jakarta District Court for his involvement with the Indonesian Democratic Union Party, which he founded with other activists in 1996.

Last year he sent out Idul Fitri greeting cards calling on people to boycott the general election. (prb)