Notable lawman Ali Said dies of asthma at 69

JAKARTA (JP): Ali Said, the former chief justice and chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights, died of asthma at Pondok Indah hospital yesterday. He had turned 69 on June 12.

Ali Said had an illustrious legal record, unmatched by any other Indonesian. Starting as a military prosecutor, his career took him to the three highest public legal offices in the land: attorney general (1971-1981), minister of justice (1981-1984) and chief justice (1984-1992).

His integrity was such that after he stepped down from public office he was asked by President Soeharto to head the National Commission on Human Rights when it was established in 1993.

And he silenced his critics, who doubted his independence as the Soeharto-appointed commission chairman, when he took on both the government and the military for human rights violations.

Ali Said, who was an Army lieutenant general before he switched to civilian life, was buried at the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery with full military honors.

Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman led the ceremony which was attended by former vice president Sudharmono, Minister of National Development Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Chief Justice Soerjono and most of the members of the human rights commission.

President Soeharto and Vice President Try Sutrisno were among those who paid their last respects at Ali Said's residence in Pondok Indah.

Oetojo, in his eulogy at Kalibata cemetery, described Ali Said as a "loyal and dedicated fighter of justice", noting that he devoted the same degree of seriousness to every office he held.

Baharuddin Lopa, the secretary-general of the human rights commission, told reporters at the burial that Ali Said continued to show his concern even as he fought against his illness.

"Last week, while in bed, he phoned me up to ask how various cases were being dealt with in the commission," Lopa said.

Another commission member, Police Brig. Gen. (ret.) Roekmini, said Ali Said's death is a great loss to the commission at a time when many violations of human right are being committed.

She said Ali Said talked little but worked a lot.

He rarely made public appearances as commission chairman, but in the few times he did, he gave his full endorsement to the work carried out by the members, which more often than not, was critical of the government and the military.

Ali Said's legal career started to rise when he presided over the Special Military Tribunal (Mahmilub) set up to try the perpetrators of the 1965 coup which was blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Among those he sentenced to death were deputy prime minister Soebandrio and Nyono, a top PKI leader. Nyono was executed but Subandrio's sentence were commuted twice and he was freed last year.

Many people remembered Ali Said as a humorous person, but they also praised him for his vigor in pursuing justice.

When he was attorney general, he successfully prosecuted dozens of people for smuggling. And when he was chief justice, he fought hard against collusion practices in the courts, a problem that still undermines the court's image today.

Ali Said is survived by his wife Sri Murni and three children, including Golkar politician Ais Anantama. (16)