Judge denies pressure in Megawati's lawsuit

JAKARTA (JP): A judge trying one of the dozens of Megawati Soekarnoputri's lawsuits against the government denied yesterday allegations of state pressure on the courts to rule in the government's favor.

"I have not received a single directive from anyone about how I should handle the case," said Lintong Oloan Siahaan, chief of Jakarta's State Administrative Court.

"We will rule (over this case) independently in accordance with our beliefs," Siahaan said after the preliminary hearing of the latest lawsuit filed by Megawati in his court.

Siahaan presides over a panel of judges trying the case in which ousted PDI chairwoman Megawati names President Soeharto, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, Attorney General Singgih and South Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto as codefendants.

In the lawsuit, Megawati demands the court annul orders issued by Moerdiono and Singgih to the police to investigate her and her husband Taufiq Kiemas.

Megawati's lawyers say Megawati and Taufiq cannot be investigated by police without written presidential approval because they are members of the House of Representatives.

They said all the police had were letters issued by Moerdiono and Singgih, none from the President.

Although the court is still trying the lawsuit, Megawati and Taufiq have already complied with South Jakarta Police summonses.

Both are being questioned as witnesses in the police investigation of Haryanto Taslam, a PDI leader, suspected of organizing a political meeting at Megawati's residence in South Jakarta in January.

In the lawsuit, Megawati called on the court to order the police to stop all investigations pending the outcome of the case.

On Tuesday, a group of the lawyers representing Megawati in the lawsuits said they believed the courts were under pressure from the government to dismiss the cases. The lawyers urged the Supreme Court to respond to their allegations.

Yesterday's behind closed doors hearing was adjourned after about 15 minutes because the defendants' lawyers did not appear to have read the lawsuit, Siahaan said.

The hearing will continue next week. (05)