The Users of Posbakum Exceed 340 Percent

 

Jakarta | badilag.net

Today, Monday (22/08/2011) Cate Sumner from Change for Justice (C4J) and Sonja Litz, a Senior Councel from the World Bank, visit the Director General of the Religious Courts (known as Badilag), Wahyu Widiana at his work room.

Cate and Sonja aim to discuss on the recent progress of Legal Aid Post (known as Posbakum) which has operated since March.

Wahyu Widiana is accompanied by his colleagues Sayed Usman, Azhari, Umiati and Rahmat Arijaya.

Cate tells her amazing experience when she visited the Religious Court (RC) of Palembang in a couple of days ago.

“It is really fantastic and impressing,” said Cate.

. According to her, the implementation of Posbakum in RC of Palembang runs very well. The local government also supports Posbakum by giving some facilities. People are very enthusiastic toward the presence of Posbakum.

It is not difficult to get the service. A litigant has to enclose an official letter of poor issued by the local government. If a litigant is not able to meet the requirement, he/she can declare that he/she can not afford a lawyer for his/her case. It is really very simple.

Cate becomes more surprised when Wahyu Widiana shows the current data on Posbakum. After five months operating, there are 16,390 people served meanwhile the target for 2011 is only 11,553 people.

It can be concluded that there are 3,278 people enjoying Posbakum in a month. It will be easily projected that there will be 39,336 people obtaining the facility. It means there is 340% increase from the target, about 3.4 folds.

Wahyu Widiana explains to Cate and Sonja that Badilag is struggling to increase the budget for Posbakum. According to him, there are two main reasons; first, the service exceeds the target and second, the number of the Religious Courts providing Posbakum will increase.

“Posbakum will be our great focus in this year and the following year. Our Law has stipulated that Posbakum must be provided in all courts,” he said.

According to the official from Division of Planning and Finance of Badilag, Azhari, Badilag is proposing a new initiative budget for 46 Religious Courts for the next year. The discussion on the budget will completely finish soon.

At the end of meeting, Wahyu Widiana conveys his deep appreciation to Cate and Sonja as well as all colleagues fore their attention to Badilag’s programs.

(Arijaya)