Court drops Bintang's suit against minister

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)