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Committee grills candidates on skills, political affiliations

Eight of the 15 candidates to replace Constitutional Court chief justice Hamdan Zoelva underwent on Monday separate interview sessions with the selection committee established by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo

Hasyim Widhiarto (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, December 23, 2014

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Committee grills candidates on skills, political affiliations

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ight of the 15 candidates to replace Constitutional Court chief justice Hamdan Zoelva underwent on Monday separate interview sessions with the selection committee established by President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo.

The eight candidates '€” Diponegoro University law professor Lazarus Tri Setyawanta; West Java High Court ad-hoc corruption appellate judge Fontian Munzil; sharia lecturer Sugianto from the State Islamic University in Cirebon; Bandung-based Politeknik Pos Indonesia lecturer Dhanang Widjiawan; Judicial Commission commissioner Imam Anshori Saleh; Surabaya-based 17 Agustus 1945 University lecturer Krisnadi Nasution; former Constitutional Court justice I Dewa Gede Palguna; and civil servant Hotman Sitorus '€” were each given up to an hour to field questions from members of the committee. Most questions concerned the candidates'€™ personal backgrounds and legal knowledge.

Dhanang, who holds a doctoral degree in telecommunications law, for instance, was heavily scrutinized on his lack of academic background in constitutional law.

'€œAs a law scientist, I don'€™t limit myself to learn certain legal topics,'€ he said in defense.

Imam, who served as a National Awakening Party (PKB) lawmaker from 2004 to 2009, meanwhile, was asked whether his former party affiliation would affect his independence.

'€œMy involvement in politics was merely accidental. It was [former president] Abdurrahman Wahid who asked me to become a [lawmaker] candidate because he said there were too many religious scholars in the PKB,'€ the law scholar said, drawing laughter from the audience.

'€œSo will you be able to distance yourself from the PKB if the court hears a case related to the party?'€ asked University of Indonesia law professor and committee member Satya Arinanto.

'€œOf course. I'€™ve already quit the party because I feel uncomfortable [with the current leadership],'€ Imam said.

The interview sessions, which are taking place at the State Secretariat building and are open to the public, will continue today to screen seven remaining candidates, including Hamdan.

The 15 candidates previously passed administrative verification held by the selection team led by Andalas University constitutional law professor Saldi Isra.

'€œOnce the candidates pass this first-stage interview, they will undergo a health screening and attend further interviews in which they can elaborate their ideas,'€ Saldi said.

The Constitution stipulates that the court must have nine justices, with the House of Representatives, the President and the Supreme Court each entitled to appoint three justices to serve five-year tenures.

The 2011 Constitutional Court Law, meanwhile, stipulates that the nomination of justice candidates should be conducted in a transparent manner and with participation from the public.

Hamdan, whose tenure ends on Jan. 7 and who can be reappointed, is one of the government-nominated justices.

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