Destiny of Legal Aid Post in 2013
Jakarta l Badilag.net
Farid Ismail, Secretary of Badilag, hoped that Indonesian government pay attention to Legal Aid Post which has been well operated in 69 Religious Courts. He conveyed his hope during a talk show on Law of Legal Aid, in Jakarta, Monday (1/10/2012). This talk show program was held by Radio 68 H in cooperation with BPHN (National Law Development Agency).
Law No. 16 of 2011 mandates that the Ministry of Law and Human Rights will organize Legal Aid Post. The Supreme Courts will not run Legal Aid Post any more due to the budget has been moved to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in 2013.
According to Farid Ismail, his institution still run two programs related to access to justice for poor, namely prodeo case (waiving court fees) and circuit court.
“The budget for both facilities is still allocated for the Supreme Court, except for legal aid post,” Farid Ismail said.
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Farid also proposed that there must be MoU between the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights on legal aid post for 2013. It is aimed to make sure that legal aid post will be still running in the Religious Courts in 2013.
“If Religious Courts will not provide legal aid post, people will be disappointed”, he said.
In fact, the existence of legal aid post in courts is regulated by some law including Law No. 48 of 2009, Law No. 49 of 2009, and Law No. 50 of 2009.
Last week, Denny Indrayana, Vice Minister of Ministry of Law and Human Rights said that facility of legal aid post will be still available in the Religious Courts.
According to Bambang Palasar, Director of Legal Counseling, legal aid post will be also available in Regional Office of the ministry and in jail as well. It will enable people to get wide access to justice.
However, some crucial problems remain which must be immediately solved by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Is there budget for building expenditures when legal aid post is operated in courts? How much money must be provided for one case in legal aid post?
(Rahmat Arijaya)