Kemayoran fairground to host Akbar trial
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A spacious fair ground compound in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, will likely become the venue for the corruption trial of House Speaker Akbar Tandjung.
The Central Jakarta District Court requested the move because the court building could not accommodate the huge crowds of onlookers.
Central Jakarta District Court chief Subardi said on Tuesday that the court had requested a permit from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to move the trial.
"We have sent a letter to the Ministry, hopefully, we will obtain the permit soon," he said.
Police, prosecutors and the mayoralty had all been consulted, Subardi said.
Central Jakarta mayor Petra Lumbun offered the Jakarta Fair Ground in Kemayoran, which usually holds trade fairs, or the mayoralty's assembly hall in Tanah Abang.
"But Kemayoran would be more suitable because our office has limited (parking) ground," he said.
Earlier, the police had requested the court move the trials of Akbar and former president Soeharto's son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, who is on trial at the same court, as they attracted many onlookers and protesters.
Insp.Gen. Makbul Padmanagara, the Jakarta Police chief, said on Tuesday that it was almost certain that Akbar's trial would be held in Kemayoran.
Even though Makbul also requested a new venue for Tommy's trial, the court would still hold the trial in the court building on Wednesday.
"We are still able to manage Tommy's case here because the crowd at Tommy's trial is not as big as that of Akbar. We could probably move it if it necessary. We'll watch the development of Tommy's trial," Subardi said.
This is not the first time a high-profile trial has been held outside a court building.
Two years ago, South Jakarta District Court conducted the trial of corruption charges against Soeharto in the Ministry of Agriculture building compound as the venue could accommodate a large number of spectators.
But Soeharto never showed up there, as the court's five-member panel of judges decided that he was too ill to stand trial.
Tommy's first hearing last week was handled by three judges: Amirrudin Zakaria, Andi Samsan Nganro and I Ketut Gede.
On Wednesday there will be two additional judges, Herri Swantoro and Pramodana K. Kusumah Atmadja.
It is the same five-member panel of judges who are trying Akbar's case.
The trial of Akbar, who is also Golkar Party chief, grabbed public and media attention. During his first trial on Monday, hundreds of visitors came to the court either to show their support or to protest.
Over 500 police officers were deployed to guard the court, after city police chief warned of possible clashed Akbar supporters and opponents.
The trial ran smoothly, however, despite heavy congestion outside the court on Jl. Gadjah Mada, Central Jakarta.
Akbar is charged with misappropriating Rp 40 billion (US$ 4 million) from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in 1999, when he was State/Cabinet Secretary under president B.J. Habibie.
Tommy is on trial for allegedly masterminding the murder of Supreme Court justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, who sentenced him to 18 months' jail for corruption.