Law Minister pushes for community-based legal aid posts

Jambi City, Jambi (ANTARA) - Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas continues to urge local governments to expand access to justice for the public through the establishment of community-based legal aid posts or posbankum.

“We will later encourage community-based posbankum, like in Aceh, because there is the Aceh Government Law. In Papua, we hope that church institutions can play a role, and similarly in Jambi, we will accommodate everyone,” Supratman said in Jambi City on Tuesday.

According to Supratman, the future model of legal aid will more heavily involve community organisations and local institutions, targeting areas that already have special legal foundations or strong social characteristics.

“So that it can resolve issues dominated by daily conflicts, such as land disputes, boundary problems involving neighbours, agrarian conflicts, up to disputes or fights between residents,” he said.

In addition to religious and customary institutions, the Law Minister is also opening up the widest possible opportunities for young people and academics to contribute.

Currently, 83,980 posbankum have been established across the country, involving 16,796 paralegals who are ready to help the public resolve issues arising at the village and sub-district levels.

“Young people, student siblings, you may establish legal aid posts; the basis is self-reliance,” he said.

The Head of the Jambi Regional Police, Inspector General of Police Krisno H. Siregar, appreciated the government’s commitment to providing easy access to those in need of legal aid.

According to the Regional Police Chief, collaborative work is a form of the government’s presence in giving the best to the public.

“This is what is called real collaboration, and earlier when the sir (Law Minister) gave directions, with apologies sir, I took a photo right away, I commented, I forwarded it, we execute it, and that’s why I say the state is present to provide the best for the public,” Krisno said.