Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – An alliance of NGOs has rejected a government proposal to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court judges to 70.
The NGOs – including Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and the Justice Monitoring Community – staged a theatrical performance in front of the court Friday, demanding the proposal be removed from a Supreme Court bill.
The bill to revise Law No. 14/1985 on the Supreme Court is being deliberated at the House of Representatives' Commission III on law and legislation, autonomy, human rights and security affairs.
The alliance called the extension of justices' terms "dubious", as state officials must retire between 65 and 67, according to existing regulations.
ICW researcher Illian Deta Arta Sari said the term extension should be rejected because it could affect the productivity of Supreme Court judges, as people are normally less active at 70.
"Judges should quit office before 70. Aging judges will only hamper the court, which still has a backlog of around 20,000 cases," she told a free speech forum during the rally.
The court's judges did not deserve a longer term because the court was still considered one of the most corrupt institutions in the country, she added.
The NGOs accused 67-year-old Bagir Manan – who heads the Supreme Court and is scheduled to retire Oct. 6, 2008 – of being behind the proposal, in order to remain in power.
"We are urging the regeneration of the Supreme Court. The longer the status quo power persists in the court, the harder it will be to carry out internal reforms," Illian said.
The theatrical performance featured three actors dressed as old men, a clear reference to the Supreme Court's high-ranking officials.
Head of public relations at the Supreme Court Nurhadi denied the allegation judges were seeking longer terms, saying the proposal had not originated with the court.
"We have never asked for it. We will leave it to the House to set the retirement age at 65, 67 or 70," he said. "Pak Bagir himself has said it's unlikely he will extend his tenure."
The draft law, a copy of which was made available to the press, shows the central government made the request.
"The task of supreme judges is not merely one of technical legal matters, but requires a high regard for justice. That's why they are identical to justices," the government said in the bill.
In several other countries – including Thailand, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines and Malaysia – the retirement age of supreme judges is 70 years, the bill goes on to say. Separately, Bagir Manan asked the public to take the retirement age issue up with the government, which he said is responsible for creating the bill.
"Just ask the government, not us. The politics of creating the law is in the hands of the government, while the Supreme Court is merely the executive of that law," he said, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Bagir asserted his office would not interfere with the debate on this issue.
Commission III began deliberations on the bill early this month and is set to reach a decision Oct. 24.
The government is scheduled to hold a joint hearing with the commission on Monday regarding the bill.