Govt to seek political solution on Soeharto
Govt to seek political solution on Soeharto
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman further fueled
speculation the government would opt for a political solution to
corruption allegations against former president Soeharto, saying
on Friday justice could be served equally through a political or
legal resolution.
"It goes together. Justice can be achieved through legal means
and through a political solution," Marzuki said when asked by
reporters at the State Palace whether a political solution would
be contrary to the legal evidence collected.
"They are mutually strengthening," he said.
Both Marzuki and President Abdurrahman Wahid have stated they
intend to reopen the case against the former president.
However, Abdurrahman has indicated that upon collecting enough
evidence it would be better simply to assess how much money
Soeharto was obliged to return to the state.
Marzuki conceded President Abdurrahman was drafting a formula
for a political solution to the case.
"Yes, the President is developing a formula for a political
decision. That is completely the prerogative of the President and
offers a whole solution to the case," he said.
"The duty of the Attorney General's Office is to provide
legal foundations and to carefully examine the details of the
case ... my duty is to provide a solid legal foundation on why
and how this case should be resolved judicially," Marzuki said.
Marzuki did not indicate when he would resume the
investigation or how long it would take to conclude.
In a separate development, the Legal Aid Foundation in
Yogyakarta welcomed the appointment of Marzuki as attorney
general and Yusril Ihza Mahendra as minister of law and
legislation.
Marzuki's appointment will bring "fresh air" to the high-
prestige cases which previously were deliberately neglected,
foundation chairman Budi Santoso said in a statement.
The statement also said it was expected that Marzuki, with his
political virtue, could thoroughly investigate the Soeharto case.
"With his moral integrity and his commitment to reform and to
uphold the supremacy of law, it is expected that Marzuki can
repair the tainted image of the Attorney General's Office," Budi
said.
Commenting on the appointment of Yusril, Budi said it was a
strategic step taken by the President, and that establishing the
ministry of law and legislation and scrapping the ministry of
justice would end the ambivalence which often occurred between
the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice.
"This is also an attempt to eliminate executive intervention
in the judiciary, as often happened," Budi said.
Yusril's ministry is expected to integrate the country's legal
products so there will be no overlap, he said.
Meanwhile, Yusril said on Friday his ministry would be the
sole ministry responsible for producing legal products.
"We will hold talks with the state minister of administrative
reforms, who oversees the Cabinet Secretariat, to discuss moving
the legislation-producing mechanism from the Cabinet Secretariat
to our ministry," he said during a break in the inauguration
ceremony at the ministry in South Jakarta.
"The ministry will be the center of law so there will be no
more overlap in making legislation," he said.
The ceremony also was attended by former minister of justice
Muladi. (prb/emf/23/asa)