PDI warns of rising public distrust of law enforcement
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) warned yesterday that the public was losing its faith in the legal system because of poor law enforcement.
Buttu R. Hutapea, secretary-general of the government- recognized faction of the party, said in a televised speech last night that, although the 1993 Broad Guidelines of State Policy emphasized legal development, national laws had yet to provide the public sufficient protection.
"There have been many recent cases in which law enforcers foiled people's quest for justice and failed to offer reasonable arguments.
"This trend looks set to confirm the public's long-time suspicion that collusion and the courtroom-mafia exist," Buttu said.
Alleged collusion within the Supreme Court made the headlines last year after Deputy Chief Justice for General Crimes Adi Andojo Soetjipto blew the whistle on alleged bribes, amounting to Rp 1.4 billion (US$600,000), given to several senior justices.
An investigation team led by then deputy chief justice for military tribunal affairs, Sarwata, rejected Adi's accusation. The team announced that there had been no wrongdoing, and that the justices had committed a mere "procedural error".
The then chief justice Soerjono raised more eyebrows before he retired last November when he granted an unprecedented review of an appeal by the prosecution against a Supreme Court ruling which acquitted union leader Muchtar Pakpahan.
A Medan court had previously sentenced Pakpahan to four years imprisonment for instigating workers demonstrations.
Buttu said that Indonesia's poor record of law enforcement had embarrassed the country at home and abroad.
The PDI suggested that the nation rejuvenate its commitment to the rule of law which guarantees equality in the eyes of law.
Buttu said the rule of law would only materialize if there was democracy.
"A rule of law without democracy" will create a state which is rigid, he said. "On the other hand, democracy without the rule of law will not give people legal protection when facing the government's exercise of power."
The party suggested that laws must be improved to ensure legal protection for the weak if the country was to have a democratic rule of law.
"Many poor people have fallen prey to accelerating development programs in the past. For instance, they could do nothing but accept lower prices for their land affected by a development project," Buttu said.
The PDI urged the government to step up its program to "nationalize" laws which the country had inherited from the Dutch colonial administration. Buttu said that only 16 laws, or four percent of the Dutch legal legacy, had been nationalized.
Buttu said the government should involve the House of Representatives in drawing up a priority list of bills to be made into laws.
The party also renewed its call to empower the Supreme Court to initiate judicial reviews of national laws.
Rally
Supporters attended the party's few rallies that went ahead in Sulawesi and Kalimantan yesterday. Some rallies were canceled for want of supporters.
From Palu, Central Sulawesi, Antara reported that PDI organizers had canceled an indoor gathering. The organizers said they instead held a briefing for party scrutineers to be deployed at polling booths.
Party officials in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, made a similar decision. They replaced a planned speech with a briefing for scrutineers.
A PDI rally in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, was also canceled with the local party officials complaining of bankruptcy.
"We have used up our money buying flags, banners and other campaign kit," PDI Samarinda branch secretary Mardian Didi Marwan said.
On Thursday, PDI chairman Soerjadi urged the press to give the party fair election campaign coverage. "I hope the press, with their code of ethics, give fair and equal coverage and do not take the sides of any of the three parties," he said in Dili, East Timor.
He was quoted by Antara as complaining of several cases of "press manipulation" since the 27-day nationwide election campaign kicked off on April 27.
Asked if he thought the press was unsympathetic to his faction's cause, Soerjadi said: "I don't know." (amd/swe)