Ronna Nirmala – In the wake of a public uproar over a series of trials for petty crimes, Justice and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin said on Wednesday that the government would provide a legal umbrella to prevent court cases deemed offensive to the public's sense of justice.

"There is a spirit among us to treat these marginalized people so as to prevent the impression that the [sword of justice] is only sharp on the side facing downward and blunt on the side facing upward," Amir said.

He said the government was working to improve and perfect the law to deal with cases that might be perceived as unjust. "We should not treat them in a rigid manner. There is a need for restorative justice," Amir said.

He added, though, that whatever decision was made should not ignore justice. "The truth is, the process is right but it is the sense of justice that is disturbed," he said of many recent cases, including that of Rasminah, a housemaid convicted of stealing six dinner plates and other trivial goods.

Amir's deputy, Denny Indrayana, said the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, along with the Supreme Court, the Attorney-General's Office and the National Police, had formed a forum to discuss and seek solutions to cases they thought could offend the people's sense of justice.

He said the forum was named Mahkumjakpol after the first few letters of the name of each member institution.