Interview Stage II, Committees Sputter Personal Matters of the Candidates of Constitutional Court Judges

Interview Stage II, Committees Sputter Personal Matters of the Candidates of Constitutional Court Judges

The Selection Committees of Constitutional Court once again conducted the interview selection as a part of selection series of Constitutional Court Judge candidates on Tuesday in the State Secretariat Building, Jakarta.

There were five candidates of Constitutional Court Judge who passed the first stage of interview and continued to the second stage. Afterward, the second stage presented two expert witnesses, they are former Religious Deputy Minister Nazarudin Umar and Post Graduate Program Director of Driyarkara School of Philosophy Franz Magnis Susesno.

While the complete member of Selection Committees were Saldi Isra, Refly Harun, Todung Mulya Lubis, Satya Arinanto, Prof. Dr. Harjono, Maruarar Siahaan, dan Widodo Ekatjahjana.

Personal Matters until the Death Sentence

It is different with the first stage of interview last week, the second stage of interview selection had wider materials, starting from the substantial matter related to duties of Constitutional Court Judges until the very personal matters.

For example, a Constitutional Court Judge candidate Imam Anshori Saleh was sputtered with questions regarding his opinion about death sentence and independency matters since he will represent the government in his composition as a judge in the Constitutional Court.

Regarding the death sentence, Imam Anshori personally admitted that he objected to the application of that law. However as a citizen, he realized that he must obey the positive regulations applied in this country.

“I think the death sentence is allowed but as a personal I do not agree with that since it will bring burdens and cannot be returned to fixed, How could that possible to return the life of someone who had been executed?,” Imam said.

As for the private car purchased on behalf of his wife that used the rental budget given by the Household Matters Agency (BURT) when he was a member of the House of Representatives, Imam affirmed that there was no regulation that the money must be used for renting a house.

“The money was given by the BURT and it would not be forbidden if we wanted to use it for the other things since we live in our own house,” Imam said it

One of the members of Selection Committees Todung Mulya Lubis also questioned his position as an activist of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) related to his affirmation if he becomes the judge member of Constitutional Court.

“Although I live in NU environment but I depend on myself. I am sure, the law must be discipline,” Imam answered.

Imam who is still the member of Judicial Commission also answered the question about his comments in mass media. According to Imam, as the speaker of Judicial Commission, it is his duty to give information to the media regarding his institution.

“I agree that the judges of Constitutional Court may not comment about their own decisions or the other judges’ decision,” Imam said it while convincing committees that the Constitutional Court Judges do not need to talk a lot.

The Head of Selection Committees Saldi Isra said that the second stage of interview selection was the last selection for the candidates. Next, the Selection Committees will receive advises from public until the upcoming January 5, 2014.

“We will have the last meeting on January 5, and will give the selection results to the President on the upcoming January 5,” Saldi Isra said it.

(Humas Setkab/ES)