Skilled judges indispensable in legal system
Skilled judges indispensable in legal system
JAKARTA (JP): Besides handling lawsuits, judges of the Jakarta State Administrative Court have to develop their skills and professionalism, the court's new head says.
Lintong Oloan Siahaan said yesterday that he considers the development of quality judges a priority.
Discussions among judges, between judges and experts, and with lawyers and government officials will be held regularly to reach the objective, he said.
"Quality and professionalism are indispensable values that can ensure the independence of judges," he told reporters at his office during a party held to welcome him as the new chief of the court.
Only qualified judges can make correct and independent considerations and decisions, he pointed out.
Siahaan was installed as the head of the Jakarta State Administrative Court on Monday. He replaced Benjamin Mangkoedilaga who was promoted to a high state administrative judge in Medan, North Sumatra.
Previously Siahaan was the head of the Bandung State Administrative Court (1993 to 1996) and head of the Medan State Administrative Court (1991 to 1993).
He was a graduate of the University of Indonesia's school of law in 1968 and the Paris-based International Institute of Public Administration in 1978.
Siahaan said state administrative judges are burdened by people's high expectations on one side and officials' lack of legal awareness on the other.
Because of excessive expectations, people consider the court a tool of the government when it rules in favor of officials, he said.
When a court rules in favor of the people, he said, officials accuse the state administrative judges of lacking a sense of nationalism and of disrupting national stability and development.
Some officials even use physical terror and threats to pressure judges, he said, citing that his house was once pelted with stones after he overruled an official's decision.
He pointed out that the state administrative courts have a weakness: the inability to force officials to uphold court rulings.
"Government officials should have the legal awareness to uphold the court's rulings since they are public figures," he asserted.
The Minister of Administrative Reforms letter number B.471/I/1991 stipulates that officials should abide by the decisions made by state administrative courts.
Siahaan urged all ministries to submit annual reports on the decisions of state administrative courts. He said the reports would then be sent to the President and the House of Representatives.
Names of government officials who are reluctant to uphold court rulings should be made known through mass media, he stressed. (29)