Decision on Megawati's suits to be made soon
Decision on Megawati's suits to be made soon
JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court has made deliberation of the
lawsuit filed against the government by opposition leader
Megawati Soekarnoputri a priority and will soon announce its
decision, Chief Justice Sarwata said here yesterday.
Sarwata said the significance of the case was highlighted by
the fact that it had evolved into a national issue and attracted
great public attention.
"God willing, it will be decided shortly. However I cannot
state the precise date," said Sarwata, accompanied by his deputy,
Ketut Suraputra, and the Court secretary general Pranowo, after
meeting with President B.J. Habibie.
Megawati was ousted as chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) by Soerjadi during a government backed congress in
July 1996.
However, Megawati continued to claim that she was the
legitimate PDI leader and she and her supporters filed several
lawsuits against the government and the congress organizers.
Megawati's close advisor Kwik Kian Gie said on Friday that
Megawati and her supporters have filed a total of 200 lawsuits
against central and local government officials.
The plaintiffs include then minister of home affairs Moch.
Yogie S.M. (now a member of the Supreme Advisory Council), former
Armed Forces chief of socio-political affairs Syarwan Hamid
(currently Minister of Home Affairs) and the then Armed Forces
commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung (currently Coordinating Minister
for Political Affairs and Security).
Kwik said Megawati's supporters have won seven cases at local
district courts in Marahaban, East Kalimantan; Manado, North
Sulawesi; Sukabumi and Bekasi in West Java; Pekanbaru, Riau;
Tebing Tinggi, North Sumatra; and Denpasar, Bali.
Megawati's camp has expressed fear that the Supreme Court will
delay its verdict until after next year's general election.
Later yesterday evening, Minister of Justice Muladi gave
assurances that the government would not interfere in the case
and said the Supreme Court would be allowed to make an
independent decision.
"The government will not interfere in Megawati's case, I can
assure you," Muladi said after a separate meeting with Habibie.
Habibie summoned Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance
and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Defense and
Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Attorney General
Mohammad Ghalib and Minister of Information Mohammad Yunus to his
office.
Muladi said they were told to intensify the dissemination of
the government regulation in lieu of a law on "freedom of
expression".
The controversial new measure has come under strong criticism
for its stringent regulation of demonstrations.
Muladi gave assurances that the House of Representatives would
have the final say on the issue.
"If it is rejected then that's the end of that. It will be
revoked," he remarked yesterday, adding that such a prerogative
was guaranteed in the Constitution.
"But we could always develop a new custom in which it is
accepted with several modifications. That would be good even
though its never been done," he said hopefully. (prb)