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Lawmakers contributed to underperforming Komnas HAM: Activist
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Seeking new leaders – National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) chairman Imdadun Rahmat (fourth from right), together with other Komnas HAM members and its new commissioner selection team, meets with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta on Dec. 9. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)
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human rights watchdog has called on lawmakers to carefully exercise their role in the selection of new commissioners for the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), as they will play a pivotal role in setting the future course of human rights promotion and protection in the country.
“The selection of Komnas HAM commissioners is not free from political interests through their representatives at the House,” Jakarta-based Setara Institute chairman Hendardi said on Friday.
“Therefore, the [selection] team must search for the best individuals for the House of Representatives to pick”.
Lambasting the poor performance of the 11 commissioners that currently serve Komnas HAM, Hendardi said the problem was a result of poor recruitment and selection from the previous term.
(Read also: Lawmakers want 'nationalist' figures for Komnas HAM)
Like members of other government-sanctioned commissions, candidates for Komnas HAM commissioners must undergo a fit-and-proper test organized by the House’s legal affairs commission, which also has the final say in the recruitment process.
“The current commissioners have been preoccupied with internal power struggles instead of focusing their time and energy on their main assignment; to solve past rights abuses, which involves high level politics,” Hendardi said.
“There is absolutely nothing to be proud of with the current commissioners”.
Komnas HAM currently has 13 commissioners who were inaugurated in 2013. Infighting over leadership and facilities has drawn nationwide attention to the commission. Komnas HAM was again under the public spotlight earlier this year because of budget irregularities allegedly involving one of its commissioners, Dianto Bachriadi.
The selection team welcomes candidates to become new Komnas HAM commissioners until February next year. Selected individuals will sit for a fit-and-proper test later in October next year before they officially take over the posts from current commissioners whose terms will end also in that month. (hwa)
