After more than four years, the government is pushing for the establishment of an ad hoc human rights tribunal to hear cases of gross human rights violations that took place during the May 1998 riots.

The move could become a stumbling block to Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party chief patron Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto’s presidential aspirations.

No action had been taken following a recommendation issued by the House of Representatives in September 2009 for the establishment of such a tribunal, until Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto held a meeting with the House leadership late last month to arrange a consultative meeting between the House and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss the issue, slated for Feb. 18.