Sahetapy speaks out on Supreme Court candidates

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)