Selection team for judicial commission yet to be formed

Muninggar Sri Saraswati The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Fifteen prominent lawyers and law experts have been proposed for the team to select members of the judicial commission, an institution mandated by the Constitution to monitor the performance of judges and nominate Supreme Court judges.

Abdulgani Abdullah, the justice ministry's director general for legislation, said on Monday his office had already brought the names to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for approval.

Among the candidates for the team are Abdulgani, lawyers Amir Syamsuddin, Luhut MP Pangaribuan and Todung Mulya Lubis, academics Indriyanto Seno Adjie, Harkristuti Harkrisnowo and Andi Hamzah, Ministry of Religious Affairs inspector general Slamet Riyanto, Indonesia Military representative Lt. Gen. Purwadi, Indonesia Ulema Council secretary general Din Syamsudin and non- governmental organization representative Ibrahim Assegaf.

The military and the Ministry of Religious Affairs were involved in the selection team as the Supreme Court would oversee the military and religious courts as part of the one-roof judiciary system, Abdulgani said.

He expected Susilo to endorse the lineup soon to enable them to start selecting candidates.

Law No. 22/2004 on the judicial commission says the commission must have been formed by Jan. 1, 2005.

"We need to start the selection process very soon, for we don't want to be in breach of the law," Abdulgani said in his office.

The justice ministry wants the selection team established by the end of November.

Abdulgani said the team would adopt the same process used in choosing the members of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"Transparency is a must here as well as professionalism." The team would publicly announce each stage of the selection process, he said.

The law on the judicial commission requires the team to propose 14 candidates to the President, who must pick half of them and submit them to the House of Representatives for endorsement.

Only candidates who have experience in legal issues with proven integrity will qualify for the nomination.

Former judges and prosecutors, lawyers and those from legal- related professions are eligible to contest the selection.

"The selection must be conducted thoroughly as the judicial commission will play a very strategic role," Abdulgani said.

Endemic bribery and corruption have tainted Indonesia's judiciary for years.

The Indonesian Corruption Watch and the Partnership for Governance Reform are among independent institutions to have reported widespread corruption in the judiciary, from the lowest court clerks to the top judges.