Few corruption cases reach court

Few corruption cases reach court

BANDUNG: The number of corruption cases investigated and tried
in court was not as high as people presumed, Chief Justice Bagir
Manan said on Monday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Supreme Court's
national working meeting in Bandung, West Java, Bagir said most
corruption cases never reached court.

Bagir said his office had examined 149 corruption cases in the
past year, mostly from outside Jakarta.

"Of all the cases that reach the appeal examination, 18 cases
affirmed the verdicts of the lower courts, 11 cases did not meet
formal requirements, and the remainder are still being heard,"
Bagir said.

Indonesia has been named as one of the most corrupt countries
in the world. The courts are also held in low regard.

Bagir said 10 judges and a number of prosecutors were
currently undergoing special training to handle corruption cases.

He said the Supreme Court expected to train 300 judges to
handle corruption cases. -- JP

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Scene-House-bills
House fails to finish bills
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House fails to finish bills

JAKARTA: The House of Representatives is again unlikely to
meet its legislation target, having finished only one bill -- on
money laundering -- since the current session opened on Aug. 15.

The House had aimed to complete deliberating 31 bills between
Aug. 15 and Sept. 26.

Two committees in charge of deliberating bills on industrial
dispute resolution and the establishment of 22 new regencies had
failed to finish their work on time.

The House Steering Committee (Bamus) had set Sept. 16 as the
endorsement day for bills on money laundering, industrial dispute
resolution, and the establishment of 22 regencies but only one
was finished.

A staff member at the House Secretariat said they had been
told by the committees that they could not finish their tasks.

The House also set Sept. 23 for the endorsement of bills on
Bank Indonesia, the mechanism of law drafting, and geothermal.
With only two weeks to go, it is impossible for the House to
deliver its pledge. --JP

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NU leaders take courses in UK
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NU leaders take courses in UK

JAKARTA: At least twelve leaders of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) left for the United Kingdom
over the weekend to attend a five-week training course.

NU, the country's biggest Muslim organization, claims to have
40 million members across the country.

During their stay in the United Kingdom, they would study
educational curriculum development, teach religious studies, and
encourage inter-faith dialogue and tolerance.

The British Embassy in Jakarta is supporting the training at
the request of NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi. -- JP

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Scene-Mega-Supersemar
Mega concerns over state documents
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Mega worried about state documents

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri expressed concern
Monday over the disappearance of thousands of important state
documents, including the Surat Perintah 11 Maret (The March 11
Instruction Letter), popularly known as Supersemar.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of an international
seminar on archives here on Monday, the President said the
disappearance of important state documents demonstrated the
state's poor appreciation of many important papers.

"How can such an important document, and thousands of other
important papers, disappear? It reflects the level of
appreciation of our own history," the President said.

Supersemar, issued by former president Sukarno, served as a
legal basis for former dictator Soeharto to assume leadership of
the nation in 1967.

Only former Military Commander Gen. Daud Joesoef is believed
to have any knowledge about Supersemar, but so far he has refused
to talk about the document.

Even after she became President, Megawati, Sukarno's daughter,
still could not find the truth or the whereabouts of the
important document.--JP

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Scene-Golkar-convention
Golkar's candidates in Makassar
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Golkar's candidates in Makassar

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Seven of 19 presidential hopefuls
vying for the Golkar party nomination, unveiled their vision and
mission in front of Golkar leaders in Makassar, South Sulawesi on
Monday.

The seven candidates were Akbar Tandjung, Gen. (ret) Wiranto,
Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, Theo L. Sambuaga, Tuty Alawiyah,
Marwah Daud Ibrahim, and Rivai Siata.

During the event, Wiranto said Golkar should not be satisfied
with positive responses from the public over its convention
program, but must also be able to produce leaders with high
quality.

Meanwhile, Theo L. Sambuaga said the Golkar convention should
be able to produce leaders that were supported by the people as
part of the party's efforts to win the 2004 elections. --JP

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Scene-election-DPD-KPU
1,238 people register for DPD seats
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1,238 register for DPD seats

JAKARTA: Some 1,238 people have registered at the General
Elections Commission (KPU) to contest 128 seats on the Regional
Representatives Council (DPD) in the 2004 election, the KPU said
Monday.

KPU chairman Ramlan Surbakti said Jakarta had the highest
number of regional representative registrants with 96 people,
while Papua had the lowest registrants with only 14.

A number of public figures such as former Minister for the
Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, businesswoman Mooryati
Sudibyo, and politician Bambang Warih Kusuma have reportedly
registered to contest DPD seats.

Ramlan said the KPU at provincial and regental levels would
start verifying all information supplied by the prospective
candidates. --JP