Improved recruitment needed for judiciary
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Major factions at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) are demanding a better recruitment system as part of the efforts to suppress the well-known corrupt practices at the Supreme Court.
Leaders of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar, and the Reform Faction suggested that "reward and punishment" mechanisms be introduced to the highest judicial body, which many groups have accused of rampant corruption.
"We don't want to see the Supreme Court, which is supreme by name, unable to live up to the people's hope for proper law enforcement," said Pramono Anung of PDI Perjuangan.
The Supreme Court has come under fire for its controversial decision to overturn a lower court's verdict on Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the fugitive son of former president Soeharto in a corruption case.
Some factions in the Assembly had earlier questioned why the Supreme Court did not mention the controversial exoneration of Tommy in September. They said Tommy's release had betrayed the public sense of justice.
Pramono said his faction would ask the House of Representatives (DPR) to tighten the so-called "fit and proper" examination for Supreme Court candidates.
It is hoped that better fit and proper tests would result in more qualified and uncorruptable Judges.
Alvin Lie from the Reform faction said that a more professional recruitment system would help improve the Supreme Court's image.
Alvin specifically doubted the competence of M. Taufiq, the Supreme Court Deputy Chief Justice, who chaired the Court's team reviewing Tommy's appeal.
"If a person like him is still there, it would be difficult (to uphold the supremacy of law)," Alvin told The Jakarta Post.
Alvin said his faction would propose an Assembly decree on better recruitment and a "reward and punishment" mechanism.
"The decree should also deal with dismissal of the Supreme Judge. If we can select chief justices, we should also have the authority to dismiss them," he added.