Two candidates running for chief justice post

Two candidates running for chief justice post

JAKARTA (JP): Chief Justice Purwoto Suhadi Gandasubrata says
that the two candidates nominated by the House of Representatives
to replace him have an equal chance of taking the post.

Purwoto however declined to state his preference between M.
Djaelani and Soerjono, both senior justices on the Supreme Court.

"Believe me, they both have an equal chance to be the next
Chief Justice," Purwoto told reporters on Saturday about his
possible successor. "The most important thing is that the
candidates are our own senior judges, not outsiders."

He said the post traditionally goes to a justice with long
service in either criminal cases, which would suit Djaelani, or
civil cases, which would suit Soerjono.

Purwoto turned 65, the mandatory retirement age for a chief
justice, on Oct. 11 and will leave office at the end of the
month. The DPR has proposed the two candidates to President
Soeharto, who will make the final choice.

Purwoto, who took the helm of the Supreme Court two years ago
after long service in the court, said he expected Soeharto to
make his decision soon.

Purwoto was speaking at an inauguration ceremony of senior
justices Busthanul Arifin, deputy chief justice in charge of
Religious Court, and Moenarso Yahya, a senior judge inaugurated
to replace Busthanul.

Purwoto said he had no influence whatsoever in the nomination
process but believed that other senior justices were also
considered, including Bismar Siregar and Adi Andojo Soetjipto,
before the House trimmed the list to two.

Djaelani appears to be the front runner by virtue of his
seniority in the Supreme Courts hierarchy. He is currently the
vice chief justice while Soerjono is deputy chief for traditional
civil cases. Both men are 63 years old which means that whoever
is selected will only serve for two years.

Djaelani was also nominated for the post two years ago. He is
a retired army major general who began his legal career in the
military courts.

He rose to public prominence in 1991, when as a member of the
Supreme Court he was appointed to head the national commission to
investigate the bloody clashes between the military and East
Timor demonstrators, an incident that sparked an international
outcry.

Soerjono began his career as a government prosecutor in 1957
before he became a court's judge two years later.

He served as chief of several high prosecutor's offices before
joining the Supreme Court in 1982 as Senior Judge. He was then
appointed Deputy Chief Justice in charge of Traditional Civil
Cases in 1992. (imn)