Legal Aid in the Spotlight
Jakarta l Badilag.net
Only few might know that Badilag actually had planned on implementing legal aid program 2011-2017. There was a total 359 legal aid post planned to establish in all Religious Courts across the country. However, due to Act 16/2011 on Legal Aid, the management on legal aid no longer under the Supreme Court authority. As a result of the Act, starting from 2013, legal aid post will be managed by the Ministry of Law and Human Right.
DG Wahyu Widiana, accompanied by Rahmat Arijaya delivers a speech in the workshop of Legal Aid
DG stated that Badilag deeply hopes legal aid post would come in each Religious Court as mandated by the Act number 50/2009. Unfortunately, this hope is not easy to come true due to the lack of budget.
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“On 2011 we have planned to establish 50 legal aid post, but there were only 46 legal aid post realized. On 2012 we have also designed to build legal aid post in 50 Religious Court, but only 23 emerged. So far, a total legal aid post we have is only 69,” said DG on the workshop of Legal Aid Post in Jakarta, July 16, 2012.
Despite the fact of the sharp climbing in terms of legal aid services that we have provided on this year, the amount of budget remains the same of the last year. On 2011, we succeeded in realizing legal aid services up to 300% of the target. Until May 2012, we have recorded 16.917 types of legal aid services from a total 21.917 target we have scheduled on this year.
Since legal aid program will be handled by the Ministry of law and Human Right on the next year, Badilag hoped there would be a mutual coordination between the Planning Bureau from the Supreme Court and the Planning Bureau of the Ministry. The coordination aimed to share information and experience rather than interfering one to another.
“Legal aid services we provided to the public have been appreciated by the President. In the opening speech of IACA Conference in Bogor Palace last year, the President mentioned the success of legal aid program in Religious Court,” said Wahyu Widiana.
From Quantity to Quality
SEMA 10/2010 which has been the basis of legal aid services so far was considered as incompatible with the stipulation of the Act 16/2011. The most striking differences between SEMA 10/2010 and the Act 16/2011 is about the requirements of service recipient. The Act clearly regulates the recipients of services should first submit the letter of poorness in order to get services. This point could reduce the number of people who seek legal aid services in the future.
However, this assumption should not been downsizing the performance and spirit of legal aid post to provide an excellent service. There should be a sort of paradigm shifting that drives legal aid providers to more focus on quality rather than quantity. To do so, the officials of legal aid services should be equipped with particular science related to the specificity of judicial competences of Religious Court. [Shofa Qolbi]