House yet to name new chief justice candidates

House yet to name new chief justice candidates

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) has yet to
name new candidates for the post of chief justice of the Supreme
Court even though Muladi, one of the current candidates, has
indicated his intention of withdrawing his candidacy, House
Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Wednesday.

Akbar said Muladi had yet to formally notify the House in
writing.

"We are still waiting for Muladi's formal notice and until
then it is too early to discuss the reselection of chief justice
candidates.

"The House leadership will hold a meeting to discuss it soon,"
he added.

Akbar said that Muladi had stated his intention of withdrawing
his candidacy several days ago to both Akbar and President
Abdurrahman Wahid so as to help ease the tension between the
House and President over the chief justice issue.

Muladi decided to withdraw his candidacy after two months of
uncertainty and will officially notify his withdrawal to the
President after the latter returns from his overseas trip early
next month.

Muladi's candidacy is widely regarded as having being
sponsored by the Golkar Party.

Abdurrahman has refused to appoint either one of the House of
Representatives' nominees -- Muladi and Bagir Manan -- as the new
chief justice.

The controversy over the appointment of the Supreme Court
chief began when the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) faction walked out of the House plenary session which
confirmed Muladi and Bagir's candidacies on Dec. 7, 2000.

While Muladi has stated that he wished to quit the race, Bagir
has hinted that he would not withdraw his candidacy.

Meanwhile, Abdurrahman has already rejected both Muladi and
Bagir, saying that they were known to be loyal to the New Order
regime and to be partisan.

Muladi served as justice minister in the last cabinet of
former president Soeharto, then stayed on in the post under
Soeharto's successor, B.J. Habibie.

Bagir Manan, a professor of law in Padjadjaran University in
Bandung, West Java, also served under Soeharto as the director
general of the justice ministry in the 1990s.

Chairman of House Commission II on legal and home affairs
Amin Arjoso shared Akbar's opinion, saying that the House should
try to lobby the President first.

"It's too early to discuss the reselection of the chief
justice candidates. Commission II will wait for directions from
the House leaders on this matter," Amin told journalists on
Wednesday. (dja)