Just law enforcement 'may negate corruption'
Just law enforcement 'may negate corruption'
JAKARTA (JP): A noted legal expert has stressed the need to
promote consistency in law enforcement, instead of legal reform,
in the effort to curb rampant abuses.
Satjipto Rahardjo, a law professor at Diponegoro University in
Semarang, Central Java, said law enforcement was deteriorating
compared to 10 years ago.
"There is a kind of divergence since the law enforcement has
yet to match what is expected and is not yet in line with the
1945 Constitution," he said in Semarang yesterday in response to
the cries for reform from students nationwide.
The Constitution contained the spirit of family, economic
democracy and rule by the people and, therefore, the authorities
should have this familial and democratic spirit in enforcing the
law, he was quoted as saying by Antara news service.
"The Constitution gives more emphasis on the civil society
than the legal system. In practice, this emphasis depends much on
authorities having competence in enforcing the law, including the
government, court, police, prosecutors, lawyers and judges."
He said corruption, collusion and nepotism were anticipated in
the Constitution, but they were rampant due to people's failings,
not the law itself.
Laws on corruption, subversion and the environment have been
made, but corrupt practices and environmental violations were
still rampant because authorities were inconsistent in enforcing
the laws, he said.
In a short-term program, he said, the law authorities should
learn to faithfully and consistently enforce the law.
"We need no changes in the judicial system, court organization
or new laws. What should be done is see to that authorities
enforce the existing law consistently and in the spirit of the
constitution."
Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, sociologist Nasikun of Gadjah Mada
University said failure to faithfully enforce the law in many
political aspects had produced a political system riddled with
corruption, collusion and nepotism.
"The New Order's political system has no correction mechanism
to check the rampant power abuses conducted by (its) main
players." (23/rms/aan)