Sahetapy speaks out on Supreme Court candidates

JAKARTA (JP): Amid growing criticism of the incumbent justices of the Supreme Court, chairman of the National Commission on Law J.E. Sahetappy urged President Abdurrahman Wahid on Wednesday to choose between two senior justices for the top post in the country's highest judicial body.

Sahetappy, a professor of law and a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), named Supreme Court justices Toton Suprapto and Paulus Effendy Lotulong as the best candidates, as opposed to any of the 16 newly appointed justices.

According to Sahetappy, the two leading candidates for the post of chief justice, former minister of justice Muladi and retired judge Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, would not be able to properly perform their new duties due to their poor track records.

"Let us find people with firm convictions and brains. They are Toton and Paulus," said Sahetappy after meeting with the President at Merdeka Palace.

Last week the President appointed 16 new justices, including lecturers Bagir Manan and Artidjo Alkostar, and career judge Andi Syamsu Alam, from among the 17 candidates proposed by the House of Representatives.

Sahetappy himself was a member of the House working committee charged with screening the 46 judicial nominees.

Golkar nominated Muladi for the post of Chief Justice while the President preferred Benjamin, who is a member of the National Commission on Human Rights.

"Gus Dur just nodded his head," Sahetappy replied when asked about the President's response to his surprising proposal.

He declined to elaborate on his reasons for rejecting Muladi and Benjamin. He only said he had sufficient evidence to back up his objections.

"There are too many negative stories about them," said Sahetappy. (prb)