Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – As the government begins to step up efforts to cleanse the judiciary of corruption, the Judicial Commission has requested that it be authorized to wiretap judges suspected of breaking the law.
"Illegal practices in the judiciary are becoming increasingly sophisticated. I believe the authority to wiretap phone calls is a requisite for us to protect the public from unfair rulings," commission chairman Busyro Muqoddas said Thursday.
The House of Representatives' commission on legal affairs will begin deliberating the revision of the 2004 Judicial commission Law after the Constitutional Court in 2006 curtailed its power to oversee justices and suggested legislators amend the law.
Busyro said he hoped the wiretapping authority would be included in the revised law. "We only need the room to wiretap judges or other judiciary officials," he said, adding that the legislation should be made carefully to avoid abuse.
Syarifuddin Sudding, a legislator from the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and a member of the legal affairs commission, voiced his support for Busyro's request.
"The case broker rings in the judiciary are strong. They are present in almost all judiciary institutions. We need the commission to wield more power than it does now," he said.
Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party concurred, saying that the commission should be given the added authority of obtaining information on judges' wealth.
Under the existing law, the commission can only oversee district and high court judges and does not have the power to punish judges found guilty of abusing their positions. The commission can issue recommendations, but the authority to punish judges remains with the Supreme Court.
Calls to empower the Judicial commission resurfaced after a Tangerang District Court judge admitted to receiving Rp 50 million (US$5,550) from tax officer Gayus Tambunan when questioned by the commission.
Muhtadi Asnun faced similar questioning by the Supreme Court's supervision division, which concluded Muhtadi was innocent. The success of the commission's questioning has been lauded by observers and politicians. However, not all parties support the commission's request for wiretapping authority.
"The Judicial commission should cooperate with other institutions that possess the authority to wiretap, such as the KPK [Corruption Eradication commission]," Nasir Djamil of the Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS) said.
"Too many institutions having wiretapping devices would not be good: They are expensive," he said.
Indonesia Corruption Watch analyst Febri Diansyah agreed with Nasir. "What the Judicial commission needs is greater judicial power to oversee judges. It could collaborate with the KPK to wiretap," he said.
The commission can issue recommendations, but the authority to punish judges remains with the Supreme Court.