Parties' state assets suit to be settled out of court
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post , Jakarta
Political parties protesting over the control of state assets by three major political parties eventually agreed on Tuesday to settle the matter out of court under the supervision of a judge of the Central Jakarta District Court.
In the hearing on Tuesday, the court offered for the fourth time a legal avenue to the lawyers of the plaintiff which consist of 13 political parties and to the lawyers of the three largest parties the United Development Party (PPP), the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Golkar.
The three were accused of illegally occupying state assets as their offices.
The plaintiffs are, among others, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the National Awakening Party (PKB), and the New Indonesia Alliance Party (PPIB).
Presiding judge Herri Swantoro ordered the conflicting parties to reach an amicable settlement within 22 working days. The panel of judges appointed Judge Agus Subroto as a mediator in the subsequent negotiations.
"In line with guidelines from the Supreme Court which state that mediation is one among many avenues to pursue in a civil suit, we demand that both sides take this path. We are hopeful that both parties will be able to reach an agreement in the time alloted."
Speaking after the trial, the plaintiff's lawyer Ikhsan Abdullah said that although he would comply with the court ruling, he doubted a settlement could be reached.
"We are under pressure...we agreed to accept arbitration only because it is the most plausible option given by the court. But I believe that it won't work, as my clients will not retreat until the ill-gotten assets are returned to the state," he said.
In the previous trials, Ikhsan has repeatedly stated that his clients would not accept a court-brokered settlement.
The plaintiffs accused the three of violating Law No. 5/1960 on land reform, as the law stipulates that only individuals and legal entities are eligible to own land; therefore, they demanded the accused return the state assets they currently occupy.
The parties were then given a chance to benefit from state facilities by the authoritarian regime of president Soeharto in return for compliance with government policies.
Contacted separately, Golkar Party lawyer Zul Amali Pasaribu said that his client would not surrender the land and a building in Slipi, West Jakarta, where the party's central office is located.
"We have secured the ownership of the land," he told The Jakarta Post.
The presiding judge set the next hearing for March 18 to hear the outcome of the mediation.