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Corruption Court: This year's legislative highlight!

Thursday, January 11, 2007

We all know that the Constitutional Court annuled Article 53 of the KPK Law which contains a Corruption Court. Much of its decision has been discussed here. Due to the decision, the House and the Government is politically compelled to enact a new law establishing a Corruption Court. This is going to be an interesting process which everyone must carefully observe:
The corrupt and would-be corrupt will want to have a soft law, while civil society activists will want to strengthen the role of the Corruption Court. If a compromise is reached, we might have a stronger and better judicial system. But if no compromise is reached, corruption eradication will be at serious risk.

An expert told that formation of a special court could be a lengthy and difficult process:

Experience with the establishment of the existing Anticorruption Court as a chamber of the Central Jakarta District Court shows the importance of thorough preparation to ensure the timely availability of the necessary funding and infrastructure.

There is certainly a lot that will need to be discussed in detail, decided on and prepared over the next three years. While doing all this, the overriding common cause should be constantly kept in mind: the eradication of corruption and the promotion of legal certainty and public welfare.

Well, let's keep an eye!