House drops two candidates for Supreme Court
House drops two candidates for Supreme Court
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives has dropped Usman
Karim and Valerine J.L. Kierkhoff from the list of candidates for
chief justice and deputy chief justice, respectively, over an
administrative technicality, an official said on Saturday.
Amin Aryoso, chairman of House Commission II for legal and
home affairs, told the media that the House would examine only
six candidates for chief justice and six others for deputy chief
justice.
"Both Usman Karim and Valerine J.L. Kierkhoff have failed to
meet the deadline to submit related documents to the commission,"
he said after the commission conducted the first phase of
fit-and-proper tests for the candidates.
The remaining six candidates for chief justice are Benjamin
Mangkoedilaga, Muladi, Artidjo Alkostar, Bagir Manan, Soeharto
and Toton Suprapto, while the six candidates for deputy chief
justice are Abdul Kadir Mappong, Abdurrahman Saleh, Edith Dumasi
Tobing Nababan, Marianna Sutadi, Parman Suparman and Taufik.
Amin, however, declined to reveal the results of the
commission's initial evaluations of the 12 candidates, saying the
evaluations were an inseparable part of the final fit-and-proper
tests scheduled for Nov. 29.
He said that during the initial full day of evaluations, which
were closed to the public, the commission clarified the
administrative requirements and all the input on the candidates
the commission received from the public.
"Clarification is conducted to evaluate the candidates'
professionalism and integrity," he said, adding that the
evaluations were conducted in a closed-door meeting to maintain
the privacy of candidates.
Reliable sources at the commission told The Jakarta Post that
the fit-and-proper tests were only lip service as all factions,
excluding the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) faction, had their favorite candidates.
"Every faction member could raise whatever questions they
wanted and candidates could answer, but the factions have their
own favorites," said a source.
Pramono Anung Wibowo, PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary-
general, said the party's faction at the House supported none of
the candidates and would abstain in any vote taken for selection
of the candidates.
"Benjamin Mangkoedilaga has no capability for the top position
at the Supreme Court while Muladi was part of the New Order
regime," he said.
He said his faction at the House would abstain because the
House's internal rules did not allow it to nominate its own
candidate.
Pramono said Muladi was expected to pass the fit-and-proper
test because he had probably won support from the Golkar faction
and Muslim minority parties known as the "axis force".
Amin confirmed that he and other PDI Perjuangan legislators in
the commission would be consistent with their faction's policy.
Amin chairs the commission appointed to select the candidates.
Satisfaction
Meanwhile, candidates said they were satisfied with the way
they had been treated in their tests.
Artidjo said the commission members had been friendly when
asking questions and that he could answer all questions directed
at him.
Muladi concurred and acknowledged he had not paid his taxes
for two years when he was the justice minister and acting state
secretary in former president B.J. Habibie's last Cabinet.
"I had no intention of evading paying my taxes. It is because
of my recklessness due to accumulated tasks. But they have been
paid," he said.
Asked to comment on public objections to his candidacy, Muladi
said: "It is normal in a democracy."
The House will select two candidates and let the President
choose one of them for the Supreme Court top job, which has been
left vacant by Sarwata in August.
The new chief justice is expected to mend the battered
judicial system, to some extent due to rampant corruption. A team
formed by the Attorney General to investigate corruption named in
August three justices of the Supreme Court as suspects in a
bribery case. (rms)