Guess What? Bambang Widjojanto

Guess What? Bambang Widjojanto

Chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) Bambang Widjojanto has won a British government Chevening scholarship to study in Britain and is due to leave in mid-August of this year.

He said he has chosen Britain because he considered the country as an important model to study since its laws and democratic principles and practices are not just dependent on written, formalistic forms, but also and foremost on culture as manifested in unwritten ethics, consensus and other shared values.

"I considered it's important for my country's process of democratization and law reform where we must also deal positively with our own traditions, and at the same time build our own system of law. We must also go beyond any formalistic approach, and work at both cultural and moral levels," he was quoted in a press release made available for The Jakarta Post.

When asked about his reasons for this study, he said: "I need to take a step back for a while in order to re-orient myself, so as to be even more effective when I come back, as obviously there will be hard work and more challenges to come."

He will spend a year studying for a master's degree in law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), a prestigious institution of the University of London. During his absence, day- to-day duties at the foundation will be performed by Munir, Dadang Trisasongko and Lily Dhakidae.

He said he selected SOAS because it focuses on countries of two continents where struggles for independence and democratization have been most intense.

"I also like the one-year program as it gives a great challenge for me to use time effectively and efficiently. It also suits my timeframe, as things are changing fast in Indonesia. I need to keep up!" (The British Council)