Govt to stay out of Ikadin affairs

Govt to stay out of Ikadin affairs

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman promised yesterday that the government will stay out of the affairs of the Indonesian Bar Association (Ikadin).

In his speech opening Ikadin's congress, Oetojo said he had neither the ability nor the intention to try to influence the proceedings of the meeting.

The minister underlined, however, the need for Ikadin to continually rejuvenate itself as an organization.

That was as close as Oetojo came to commenting on Ikadin's chairmanship election, the main agenda item of the three-day congress.

Ikadin has vehemently fought against any government attempt to interfere in its affairs. Its 1990 congress in Jakarta turned into a fistfight as delegates split into two camps. The camp supported by the government lost the election.

When the congress opened yesterday, five men remained in the running for Ikadin's top post.

Heading the pack is the incumbent Harjono Tjitrosoebeno, who has headed the organization for the last 10 years and has been accredited with maintaining Ikadin's independence in the face of strong government pressures. The other four candidates are Todung Mulja Lubis, Maruli Simorangkir, Djohan Djauhari and Sudjono.

Much of yesterday was spent discussing the need to strengthen the legal profession amid growing global competition and the increasing likelihood of foreign lawyers being permitted to practice on Indonesian soil.

Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, a senior lawyer, called for a new regulation restricting foreign lawyers from practicing in the country and restricting their activities to providing legal advice to foreigners.

Chief Justice Soeryono in his address to the congress said he supported Ikadin in its wish to maintain its independence, but stressed that the organization should not abuse its independent status. (har/02)