Former Vice Chief Justice, Drs. H.Taufiq, SH, MH, Heads National Agency of Marriage Counseling
“Mediation is Top Priority”
Jakarta, Badilag.net/english (28/08).
Agency for Counseling, Fostering and Perpetuation of Marriage (henceforth called as BP4/Badan Penasihatan, Pembinaan dan Pelestarian Perkawinan) which was a semi-official agency in the Department of Religious Affairs has now become a professional socio-religious organization and a partner of the Department in embodying peaceful, loving, and blissful families.
The transformation of the agency can be seen in article 3 of its new statutes established in its 14th National Congress 2009 in Jakarta. The congress held from June 1-3, 2009 also decided Rules of Association, main working programs for year 2009-2014 and made recommendation for government, law enforcers, Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, Film Censorship Institute, and greater community. (for complete congress' results, click here).
The congress also elected Drs. H. Taufiq, SH, MH, former Vice Chief Justice, General Chairman of BP4 for the working period 2009-2014. Minister of Religious Affairs through his decree No. 114/2009 dated July 30, 2009 appointed a complete leadership of the agency that was inaugurated on August 17, 2009. (Complete Ministerial Decree, click here).
BP4 Leadership.
With its declaration as a professional organization, the leadership of BP4 is no longer ex officio officials like the old time but comprises experts who are professional in their fields. Their expertise and experience in dealing with family matters are beyond doubt.
General Chairman and Deputy Chairperson I to V respectively are H. Taufiq, H. Mubarok, HM. Goodwill Zubir, H. Tulus, Hj. Nurhayati Djamas and Hj. Zubaidah Muchtar.
Among the Advisory Board Members are Prof. Dr. Bagir Manan, SH, MCL, Prof. Dr. Hj. Zakiyah Darajat, MA, Prof. Dr. H. A. Mubarok, MA, Prof. Dr. H. M. Mashuri Na’im, MA, Prof. Dr. H. A. Sutarmadi, Prof. Dr. Hj. Nabila Lubis, Prof. Dr. Hj. Zaitunah Subhan, MA and Drs. KH. M. Adnan Harahap.
Besides Secretary and Treasurer, there are some divisions in the new leadership of BP4; (1) Division of Marriage and Family Counseling, (2) Division of Advocacy, Mediation and Legal Consultancy, (3) Division of Public Relations, Publication and Domestic and Foreign Cooperation, (4) Division of Family Prosperity, Protection for the under-age, youth, and elderly, (5) Division of Peaceful Family Education and HRD, and (6) Division of Enterprise. Boards of Advisers and Counselors also exist in the leadership.
BP4 extraordinarily embraces officials from Religious Courts such as Deputy Chief Justice for Religious Court Affairs and Director General of Badilag who become members of Advisory Board. Several ex judges of Religious Courts included in the leadership are Drs. H. Kadi Sastrowirjono, SH (member of Div. of Advocacy, Mediation and Legal Consultancy), Drs. H. Muhail, MH (member of Div. of Marriage and Family Counseling), and H. Abdullah Zuki, SH, MH, former Chairman of Central Jakarta Religious Court.
Mediation as the top priority.
Mediation seems to be the top priority program of the current BP4 leadership in addition to other main programs on settling marriage-related disputes.
“This (mediation program) is to take the opportunity offered by the Supreme Court with its Regulation No. 1/2008 on Mediation Procedures,” Taufiq, the new elected General Chairman of BP4, told Badilag.net at meeting room in the Dept. of Religious Affairs Tuesday (25/8).
Taufiq added that board members and figures of BP4 who had long experience in settling marital disputes needed to be involved in the system by being professional certified-moderators as required by Supreme Court Regulation (PERMA).
“All we need to do is to enhance (our ability on) the mediation methods. We have substantially mastered mediation topic. Shortcomings, if existing, can be handled by a particular training, but not on how to mediate,” Taufiq said.
Other Deputy Chairpersons attending the meeting spoke of the same voice. Dr. Hj. Nurhayati Djamas, MA, Deputy Chairperson IV, suggested that BP4 continue mediation training that had had been previously planned with Training of Trainers (ToT) for national board members.
“These trainers will then provide mediation trainings to regional board members.”
“That can surely be done when BP4 has met the requirements and held Chief Justice’s appointment as a mediation institution rightful to issue certificates,” said Taufiq.
All Deputy Chairpersons therefore supported BP4 to take any necessary steps to make it a mediation training institution as soon as possible.
Enhancing collaboration between BP4 and Religious Courts.
“I strongly believe that the existence of PERMA (Supreme Court Regulation) with the positive responses from BP4 will contribute to the raise of successful roles played by both Religious Courts and BP4 in maintaining peaceful, loving and blissful marriages,” Director General of Badilag, Wahyu Widiana, said to Badilag.net.
Wahyu’s statement is understandable because Religious Courts and BP4 have long enjoyed inharmonious relationship. Misunderstanding in dealing with marital disputes often occurred between the two institutions.
“It is now hoped the relationship between the two institutions will be in good harmony,” said Wahyu adding that it would be better if marital disputes settled by BP4 before brought to Religious Courts. However, he understood that Courts might not reject cases filed regardless mediation process.
“Chief Justice, Pak Bagir or Pak Harifin, frequently said (marital) disputes, when possible, had to be settled by public figures or Ulemas before filed to Courts.”
According to Regulation on Mediation, Courts are obliged to undertake mediation process for all cases filed although being mediated by third parties.
“Considering its long experience, we hope BP4 can produce reliable and professional mediators. Thus, that will lighten Religious Courts’ tasks,” the Director General said.
Wahyu are optimistic about the better future relationship between Religious Courts, BP4 and Dept. of Religious Affairs if all run well.
“This hope will come true within the chairmanship of Pak Taufiq who was an outstanding figure of both Religious Courts and Dept. of Religious Affairs. He long chaired Directorate General of Development for Moslem Society. He is also close to Ulemas.” (Adli Minfadli Robby/Cho)