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)