Bagus BT Saragih and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Senior Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Gayus Lumbuun was among six candidates elected as Supreme Court justices in a vote held by the House of Representatives' Commission III on Thursday evening.
Topping the list was Suhadi, an active judge, who gained 51 votes. Gayus, who had become one of the favorites among the 18 candidates, came second with 44 votes.
Commission III members expressed their pleasure after learning that Gayus, their former colleague on the commission, managed to pass the voting.
Gayus, who is also a Criminal Code professor at Krisna Dwipayana University in East Jakarta, admitted that his candidacy won political support both from his own party and legislators from other political parties.
The House will formally announce the six successful candidates at the House's incoming plenary session for their endorsement.
Of the six, only Andi and Suhadi were career judges. Andi, now spokesman for the Jakarta High Court, was one of a panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court, that acquitted former House speaker Akbar Tandjung of graft charges.
The election was conducted after members of Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, had carried out tests for a total of 18 candidates, which began on Sept. 20. The six will serve as justices in six different chambers, which respectively oversee civil cases, criminal cases, religious affairs, state administration, taxation and cases involving the military.
Gayus had previously vowed to resign from his position as a lawmaker if he was elected a justice.
The Court Monitoring Coalition (KPP) had highlighted two candidates with good track records, namely Sunarto from the supervision inspectorate of monitoring at the Supreme Court and Rahmi Mulyati, a junior registrar at the special civil appellate court at the Supreme Court.
The two, however, failed to gain enough votes to enter the top six positions. Fifty-six lawmakers attended the voting where each lawmaker selected six out of the 18 candidates.
The six elected justice candidates
1. Suhadi (51 votes)
2. Gayus Lumbuun (44)
3. Nurul Elmiyah (42)
4. Andi Samsan Nganro (42)
5 Dudu Duswara (34)
6. Hari Jatmiko (28)