Manulife judges still being investigated

Kurniawan Hari The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Two months after a disciplinary committee from the Jakarta High Court was assigned to investigate bribery allegations against three judges, the public at large have not yet been informed of whether or not they violated the code of ethics when they declared insurance company Manulife Indonesia bankrupt in June.

The committee was slated to finish its work and propose a course of action to the Justice Ministry and Supreme Court within 30 days of its establishment on Aug. 12

However, to this point there has been no explanation from the government, the committee, the ministry or the Supreme Court (MA).

Spokesman of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry Hormat Tjapah said on Tuesday that his office had received a report from the disciplinary committee, but could not yet make it public.

"The report will be discussed first, in private, between the Justice Minister (Yusril Ihza Mahendra) and Chief Justice Bagir Manan before it is announced to the public," Tjapah said.

The Jakarta High Court decided to set up the committee in August to investigate three Jakarta Commercial Court judges -- Hasan Basri, Ch. Kristi Purnamiwulan, and Cahyono -- in which there was widespread speculation that the case was seriously tainted by corruption, including bribery of the judges in order that they would declare P.T. Asuransi Jiwa Manulife Indonesia bankrupt.

The three drew waves of domestic and international criticism when they declared Manulife Indonesia, a local unit of Canadian giant Manulife Financial, bankrupt for opting not to pay out dividends in 1999, much to the chagrin of former partner and some 40 percent stakeholder, P.T. Dharmala Sakti Sejahtera, which was bankrupt itself and desperate for cash.

The Supreme Court later overturned the verdict following strong protests from Canada.

The three judges were suspended pending investigation into allegations that they were bribed to declare the insurance firm bankrupt.

Bagir Manan said on Monday that he had issued an approval for the police to investigate the three judges if there was any criminal behavior involved.

Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf refused to comment Tuesday on the investigation timetable and passed The Jakarta Post on to a staff member who could not be reached.

Meanwhile, Firman Wijaya, a lawyer for Hasan Basri, called for an early announcement of result of the investigation.