Students of Chicago conduct a research on the Religious Courts

Some students of Northwestern University School of Law with Andi Syamsu Alam,

Altidjo Alkotsar, Wahyu Widiana, Hidayatullah, Hasbi Hasan, Buang Yusuf and others.

Jakarta l badilag.net

About eight students from Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, visit the Supreme Court for a research on Wednesday. (23/3/2011). They are interested to understand the judicial system in Indonesia, especially the Religious Court’s jurisdiction.

Samuel Tenebaum, as professor of Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago leads his students to collect some important data for the sake of their research.

The students are welcome by by Altidjo Alkotsar (Deputy Chief Justice), Andi Syamsu Alam (Deputy Chief Justice of Religious Court Affairs), Prof. Abdul Ghani Abdullah (judge at the Supreme Court), Wahyu Widiana (Director General of Religious Court), and other officials. .

 

Promoting Shari’a Economic

Andi Syamsu Alam explains to the team on the recent development of the religious courts, especially on the shari’a economic as one of religious court’s competency.

“One reason why the term of Shari’a Economic is used instead of Islamic Economic is to eliminate the perception that it was applied to the Moslem only. Shari’a Economic can be also applied to non-Moslem”, Andi Syamsu Alam said.

Answering a question from a student of Northwestern University School of Law on the readiness of the religious courts in handling Syariah Economic cases, Andi Samsu Alam explains that our state has regulated the material law on Shari’a Economic. Besides, the Supreme Court has conducted several trainings on Shari’a Economic for judges. A comparative study to some countries such as Malaysia, Pakistan, England, Sudan and Saudi Arabia was also conducted.

The Religious Courts’ Achievement

“The Religious Courts are very unique. In our country we have no courts like them”, Jacob Fischer, Lauren Zelechowski, and Larah Kent express the same thing when answering Wahyu Widiana’s question.

The students get enough information on the rapid progress of the religious courts from internet and some books.

 

Three students receive some important books on the religious courts from Hasbi Hasan

Jacob Fischer is interested to know on public response toward the religious courts. Andi Samsu Alam and Wahyu Widiana realize that it is unfair to answer such question. “It is better for you to read some results of surveys on the religious courts. We hope they could meet your question”, Andi Samsu Alam and Wahyu said.

Wahyu Widiana then mentions at least there are two surveys on the religious courts. First, a survey conducted by Asia Foundation in 2001 and a survey conducted by Ausaid in 2007 and 2009.

“We suggest you to read a book titled ‘Courting Reform: Indonesia’s Religious Courts and Justice for the Poor’ written by Cate Summer and Tim Lindsey”, Wahyu Widiana said.

At the end of interview, Andi Samsu Alam and Wahyu Widiana give the students some books on the religious courts. And Hasbi Hasan also gives them his

book title The Religious Court’s Competency on Settlement of Syari’ah Economic Cases”. (raj).