Special court to try graft cases

Special court to try graft cases

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid fired another shot
in the battle against corruption on Wednesday, approving the
establishment of a special court to try graft cases.

The President gave the nod to the establishment of the court,
which will be made up of ad hoc judges and prosecutors, during a
meeting at the presidential palace with the head of the Joint
Investigative Team to Eradicate Corruption, Adi Andojo Sutjipto.
Two other members of the team, HS Dillon and Krisantono, also
attended the meeting.

Andojo said the President also agreed to issue a government
regulation in lieu of the existing laws, which contain loopholes
that hamper the fight against corruption, Antara reported.

"Extraordinary measures" such as the establishment of the
special court and the issuance of the government regulation are
needed in the effort to eradicate corruption, because the current
condition is "extraordinary", Andojo said.

He also said there should be the political will to state that
the country was in a state of emergency in the battle against
corruption.

The team, which was established seven months ago, has
identified laws and regulations that contain loopholes that are
stumbling blocks to the effort to wipe out corruption.

Corruption in the country has become endemic, boring so deep
into the nation's life that it has become an organized crime,
Andojo said.

Therefore, he believes "extraordinary" measures are needed to
battle corruption.

Dillon said the joint investigative team was hampered in its
work because of the lack of powers given in to carry out its
duties.

"We suggested the team either be disbanded or empowered
through the issuance of a government regulation in lieu of law,"
he said.

Last year, the team revealed that several Supreme Court
justices were allegedly involved in bribery. The South Jakarta
District Court ruled that the team did not have the authority to
prosecute the cases.

The team, however, has refused to back down, and plans to
begin submitting dossiers on alleged bribery cases involving
judges to the district courts concerned later this month. This
time, though, it will submit the dossiers through public
prosecutors' offices.

Wealth audit

Separately, the chairman of the State Official Wealth Audit
Commission, Yusuf Syakir, said President Abdurrahman had agreed
to complete forms declaring his family's wealth, and would return
the forms within one month.

The commission has given similar forms to Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker
Amien Rais and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tanjung.

Syakir said all state officials must complete the forms
honestly, or face legal penalties and dismissal from office.

State officials who must complete the forms include directors
of state enterprises, judges and court clerks, high-ranking
military officers, governors, mayors, regents, ministers and
other first-echelon government officials.

"Copies of any ownership documents should be attached," he
said, adding that all forms should be returned within one month
of receiving them.

The officials also must declare the wealth of members of their
family, including their siblings and in-laws. Stocks, savings
accounts and movable and nonmovable assets, including gold,
jewelry and artwork, must be reported.

Yusuf also said the commission was established on Sept. 2,
2000, and the members installed on Jan. 11, 2001, but so far the
commission members had not received any salaries. (sim)