Government too blamed for neglecting law

JAKARTA (JP): The government's campaign to improve people's awareness of their legal rights and obligations might have to be aimed at its own employees in the future.

A seminar on national law system concluded yesterday found that the lack of awareness of the law is not only common among the people, but also in the government circle.

This general poor awareness is reflected in part by the lack of legal certainty, continued discriminatory treatment in the law and the weak commitment shown by government in enforcing the law, according to one of the conclusions of the seminar.

The five-day seminar, which was opened by President Soeharto on Monday, was organized by the Agency for the Development of National Law, a body under the Ministry of Justice.

The seminar, which brought around 350 legal experts from throughout Indonesia, was closed yesterday by the Ministry of Justice Oetojo Oesman.

The seminar concluded that the differences in legal treatment are caused by various factors such as education and religion.

The development of a national legal system in Indonesia not only requires the presence of a clean and respectable government but also a "kind and generous" government based on moral supremacy, it said.

The seminar also found that lack of discipline among the public has also affected the way people regards the law. (05)