Four provinces form high courts

JAKARTA: The House of Representatives endorsed on Monday four bills on the establishment of high courts in four new provinces -- Banten, Bangka Belitung, Gorontalo and North Maluku.

The government, represented by Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra, directly passed the bills into law later that day.

The Supreme Court will soon assign judges to the high courts, which will hear appeal cases.

Banten has been separated from West Java, Bangka Belitung from South Sumatra, Gorontalo from North Sulawesi and North Maluku from Maluku. --JP