Courting bribery

Courting bribery

From Sinar Pagi

The General Attorney has denied that there is some kind of a
`mafia' in the court rooms in this country.

His statement was aimed at thwarting the widely publicized
issue of bribery among district attorneys and judges in the
recent tax restitution trial in Surabaya.

The Mafia is a gangster organization from Sicily island,
Italy, which extorts money, sometimes by killing people, and
controls its territory with intimidation and bribery of public
officials.

If this is what is meant by the Attorney General then I could
agree because what the above judges and attorneys did was not as
bad as that of a gangster.

Power abuse is not only committed by those working in legal
affairs but also by those working in other departments of the
government. Perhaps, one of the causes of such a malpractice is
low salaries.

Indeed, only those who are spiritually strong and loyal to the
government can put up with money temptation.

But although judges and attorneys's tasks are risky, they
should understand that court is the last fortress for justice
seekers, so a judgeship should not treated as an opportunity to
amass wealth.

DELLANI DJAELANI

Jakarta