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House approves proposal on fewer Komnas HAM commissioners
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Members of National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) commissioner selection committee (from left to right) Siti Musdah Mulia, Makarim Wibisono, Bambang Widodo Umar and Zoemrotin K. Susilo during a visit to The Jakarta Post offices in Jakarta on Jan. 18. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
T
he number of National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) commissioners will be reduced from 13 to just seven for the next five-year term due to a lack of qualified candidates to fill the posts, lawmakers have said.
A meeting between House of Representatives speakers and the selection committee in charge of the appointment of Komnas HAM commissioners on Monday agreed to the proposal because the selection team had been struggling to attract candidates.
The 1999 Human Rights Law requires 35 commissioners to run Komnas HAM, which therefore obliges the selection team to propose at least 70 candidates to undergo screening by House Commission III. But only 68 candidates had registered as of Monday, two days ahead of the deadline.
“We are using our discretion to agree [on the installment of fewer commissioners],” House Deputy Speaker Fadly Zon said. “An amendment [to the law] will take place in the future to search for the best formula for Komnas HAM”.
Komnas HAM currently has 13 commissioners whose terms will end in November this year.
Selection team chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie said the team had also extended the selection process to welcome more candidates.
“In the past, the selection process saw more than 400 candidates,” Jimly said. “We extended the registration period until March 22 to allow more committed and passionate individuals to work for human rights. We also welcome suggestions from the public”. (bbs)
