Unregistered lawyers face expulsion
JAKARTA: In compliance with the new law on legal advocates, the country's courts will only recognize lawyers accredited by the Indonesian Advocate Working Committee (KKAI).
KKAI secretary Harry Ponto told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday a lawyer who registered with the committee would receive a membership card, considered a work license.
"Lawyers are no longer required to register with high courts. From now on, only lawyers who are registered by the KKAI are eligible to represent their clients in courts," he said.
The KKAI has registered about 14,000 lawyers who are members of eight bar associations in the country. The organization is expected to unite the bar associations and is responsible for overseeing their members' conduct. -- JP
;JP;MUN; ANPAa..r.. Scene-constitution-KPK Court to uphold KPKPN dissolution JP/4/SCENE
Court upholds KPKN's dissolution
JAKARTA: The Constitutional Court rejected on Tuesday a judicial review request against the establishment of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The request filed by all members of the Civil Servants Wealth Report Audit Commission (KPKPN) verdict dashed any hopes of the KPKPN regaining its status as an authoritative anticorruption body. Parties cannot appeal the court's decision.
KPKPN members filed the judicial review request last year, following the establishment of the umbrella KPK organization, which oversees the KPKPN's activities.
Judge Jimly Asshidiqie said the formation of the KPK, which followed the enforcement of Law No. 30/2003, was legitimate and in accordance with the Constitution.
Judge Maruar Siahaan, however, presented his dissenting opinion. He said the state institution should have been dissolved after a review of its performance. -- JP
;JP;TON; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Priok-trial Another Priok witness change mind JP/4/scene
Another Priok witness change mind
JAKARTA: Another witness in the ad hoc human rights court hearing the 1984 Tanjung Priok incident withdrew on Tuesday the evidence he gave about defendant Maj. Gen. (ret) Pranowo.
The witness, Sardi, testified he had been filled with emotion when he initially told prosecutors of the Pranowo's role in the alleged human rights violation.
He denied his previous statement he had been severely tortured while under military detention after he joined a protest against the arrest of four Tanjung Priok residents held in the district's military compound prior to the Sept. 12, 1984 incident.
He also claimed he had no idea about the account he himself had signed, saying he was illiterate.
A group of residents were arrested for allegedly burning a soldier's motorcycle. The arrest, Sardi said, however, only sparked anger among local residents, who were already irked by the soldier's insult to a small mosque in the area.
The protest culminated in a shooting incident, when soldiers opened fire to disperse the crowd. As many as 33 people may have been killed in the incident, although the Military's figure is much lower. -- Antara
;JP; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Hasan-Korea-visit Hasan to visit N. Korea in April JP/4/SCENE
Hasan to visit N. Korea in April
JAKARTA: Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda will visit North Korea next month to encourage peace talks with South Korea, he said on Tuesday.
Hassan told reporters he would travel to Pyongyang in the last week of April to meet senior North Korean officials to mainly discuss two-way issues.
But asked if he would call for peaceful dialogue between North and South Korea, Hassan said, "Naturally in this visit, matters that attract attention will be discussed."
Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, whose father Sukarno was a friend of North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung, visited the reclusive Communist country in 2002 and met its leader Kim Jong-il.
Despite reconciliation efforts in recent years, North and South Korea remain engaged in Cold War conflict and share the world's most militarized border. -Reuters