Sharia Students Asked to Watch Public Service of Religious Courts
DG of Badilag Wahyu Widiana (second left) asks university students of sharia faculty to monitor public service of religious courts.
Surabaya | badilag.net/english
Director General of Badilag Wahyu Widiana asked sharia faculty students all over Indonesia to closely watch public services provided by Indonesia’s religious courts and deliver the results of their observation to the DG for further improvement. According to Wahyu, society plays a significant role in helping courts to combat law mafia.
“Law mafia can only be eradicated by implementing judicial reform correctly and consistently supported by all elements of the society,” he said when delivering a speech as the keynote speaker of national seminar on ‘Combating Law Mafia’ which was held by Formasi (Forum Mahasiswa Syariah se Indonesia/Forum of Indonesia’s Sharia Students) on Thursday (19/6) in Surabaya.
.The seminar was carried out in a series of activities of 7th Rakernas (National Working Meeting) of Formasi. 135 sharia students from 48 universities across Indonesia attended the ceremony.
Judicial Reform in the Religious Courts
The Supreme Court of the Republic Indonesia has been running judicial reform since 2003 and has set up a blue print as guidance to conduct the reform. Religious Court as a part of the Supreme Court, Wahyu Widiana said, has formulated a number of policies to be implemented in order to improve client service and avoid law mafia practices.
One of the policies is on communication and interaction management between court officers and justice seekers. The policy stipulates that only legally-appointed court officers who are allowed to communicate with court clients. The communication is only permitted if done at working hours and at the office.
Court officers, especially judges’ are highly prohibited to tell their home addresses and phone numbers to court clients.
“Good and accurate communication with justice seekers is one key for the success of combating law mafia,” he said.
Judicial Transparency and Public Support
Wahyu also mentioned judicial transparency as another key to fight against law mafia. Transparency can be done conventionally through announcement board, brochures, leaflets and other media in addition to other more modern way such as through the internet, touch screen and TV media.
Public control, wahyu went on, is also important. “Control from all elements of society is really needed so that courts can serve public in accordance with the applying regulations. Control and support from society including university students is a essential,” he said.