Lawyers violate code of ethics frequently: Survey
JAKARTA (JP): Most lawyers believe that code of ethics violations are rampant among them, with bribery topping the list, a recent survey reveals.
The survey, conducted by the Jakarta-based Center of Indonesian Legal and Policies Studies (PSHKI) on 386 lawyers from six cities in the country, concludes that nearly 90 percent of respondents admitted to having knowledge of fellow lawyers' misconduct.
Other commonplace offenses include conflicts of interest, failure to uphold confidentiality, the hijacking of clients, intimidating other lawyers and ignoring clients, according to the survey.
The research, carried out between Nov. 10 and Dec. 30 last year, also reveals that 376 of the respondents (97.4 percent) still believe in the code of ethics to control lawyers.
However, most of the respondents believe that the existing code of ethics is insufficient and needs amending due to lack of control and sanctions.
The report, a copy of which was made available to The Jakarta Post on Thursday, shows that almost half of the respondents believe that the extensive ethics violations are getting out of control because the honor board is ineffective.
Seventy lawyers admitted that they did not know anything about the function of the honor board.
"We recommend that lawyers associations step up monitoring and take strict actions against offenders and objectively review cases on lawyers, such as the case relating to Juan Felix Tampubolon," PSHKI executive director Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf and coordinator of the survey Binziad Kadafi conclude in the report.
Juan, a lawyer of former president Soeharto and the latter's daughter-in-law Ardhia Pramesti Rigita "Tata" Cahyani, has been accused of hampering police search for bunkers under the house of Tata's husband, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, in Central Jakarta.
Police named Juan a suspect for allegedly lying about the bunkers existence after the lawyer insisted that the underground room was only a cellar.
Separately on Thursday, the Central Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Bar Association (Ikadin) heard clarification from Juan, who is a member of Ikadin, concluding that he was innocent.
The chapter's chairman, John Pieter Nazar, said Juan requested that the association not to make an official ruling, due to the fact that he also received help from other lawyer associations regarding the case.
"Our preliminary conclusion is that Juan did not abuse the law nor violate our code of ethics. He should not be named a suspect. Juan has done his job well as the lawyer of Tommy's wife, who has been entrusted with the maintenance of the house," he said. (bby)