“It is time to change and rise”
Palembang | Badilag.net/english (7/10)
“Public has been long discrediting us. It is time to rise!” Chief Justice Harifin Tumpa said Wednesday morning (7/10) amid his directive to participants of the Supreme Court National Working Meeting that he opened here in Palembang, South Sumatera.
Chief Justice further urged all Courts’ staff and officials to immediately change their mindset and work performance. “It is the time for us to rise. Our only goal must be for providing justice to justice seekers,” Harifin said while stressing judges’ responsibility for this role of change.
Harifin previously presented the participants a long history of Indonesian judges’ credibility in terms of independence and quality. He stated that judges once reached highest level of credibility in the period of 1945-1960. At this time, Harifin said, public highly respected judges and Courts as well as the Supreme Court for their high quality and independence.
. According to Harifin, today’s credibility of judges is not as high as it used to be. Public still negatively sees judges, courts and the Supreme Court as institutions that are reluctant to perform any changes. Although public image of the Courts, Harifin said, might not all that true, the Supreme Court and its subordinates courts have to address this problem seriously.“We must be aware of the factual and recent image that public holds on Indonesian judiciary in general. We need to soon recover public trust. This is important for the future of law enforcement in our beloved country,” said Chief Justice.
The Supreme Court has set a new vision of implementing great judiciary body and has taken some serious steps to bring this vision into reality such as renewing its 2003 Blue Print and establishing Strategic Plans for 25 years ahead.
Harifin underlined three causes that help create negative image of Indonesian Courts: A number of corruption cases acquitted by Courts, Poor public services and Inadequate transparency. He also mentioned three solutions for the Supreme Court and its lower courts to change: Improvement of Administration System, Supervision System and Development of technical-judicial matters.
Harifin asked all Courts’ staff and officials, especially those attending the National Meeting, to find any way out for a better and modern Indonesian judiciary.
The Supreme Court National Meeting 2009 commences from October 7, and will go on till next Saturday (10/10). 316 participants, consisting of The Supreme Court leadership, Justices, Officials from 1st and 2nd echelons, Chief Judges, Vice Chief Judges and Registrars/Secretaries of Appellate Courts all over Indonesia, are attending this precious meeting. (cho)