Gus Dur names Lopa as new justice minister
Gus Dur names Lopa as new justice minister
JAKARTA (JP): Baharuddin Lopa, currently Jakarta's envoy to
Saudi Arabia, was named on Thursday as justice and human rights
minister, replacing Yusril Ihza Mahendra.
Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak told journalists that
Lopa, a former secretary general of the National Commission on
Human Rights, will be sworn in at Merdeka Palace on Friday
morning.
President Abdurrahman Wahid discharged Yusril from the Cabinet
on Wednesday.
Yusril said that his dismissal was due to pressure from within
the cabinet, while many of his statements have contradicted those
of Abdurrahman.
Lopa later on Thursday said he had been summoned to Merdeka
Palace and offered the job by Abdurrahman on Wednesday.
"I was summoned by the President yesterday and I felt that I
had to accept the offer so as to uphold the law and justice ... I
think that through this opportunity I can serve the country
better," Lopa told The Jakarta Post in a telephone interview.
The news that Lopa would be Abdurrahman's choice for the job
was first conveyed to the media by research and technology
minister A.S. Hikam earlier on Thursday.
"Yes, that's what he said during the Cabinet meeting," Hikam
told journalists after the meeting had concluded.
Hikam at the time said, however, that he did not know whether
Lopa had been officially appointed by the President.
A South Sulawesi native, Lopa, 65, started his career as a
prosecutor in Makassar. He has also served as director general
for penitentiaries at the Justice Ministry.
The new minister has a doctorate in law from Diponegoro
University.
Separately, United Development Party (PPP) secretary general
Ali Marwan Hanan said on Thursday that State Minister for
Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Zarkasih Nur should
also resign, citing that the party had withdrawn its support for
Abdurrahman.
"As the only party member in the cabinet, he (Zarkasih) should
show solidarity with his fellow party members and resign because
the (PPP) faction has withdrawn its support for Abdurrahman," Ali
Marwan said on Thursday.
However, he said the party would not punish Zarkasih if he
chose to stay in the cabinet as this was his choice to make.
(dja/byg)