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Minister for Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Zarkasih Nur should also resign, citing that the party had withdrawn its support for Abdurrahman.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cabinet, he (Zarkasih) should show solidarity with his fellow party members and resign because the (PPP) faction has withdrawn its support for Abdurrahman," Ali Marwan said on Thursday.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)