Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – A House of Representatives' working committee is rushing to pass an amendment to the Supreme Court law later this month, with bribery allegations dogging the legislators involved in the deliberation.
"There will be only small problems so we expect to pass the bill this month," Ganjar Pranowo, secretary of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction at the House, said Friday.
The working committee (Panja) began deliberations in early September and is now holding a series of meetings in Bogor, West Java, to finalize the draft law.
The rushed process has sparked accusations that the sole aim of the revision is to allow Supreme Court chief Bagir Manan, who is due to retire on Oct. 6, to keep his position for another three years.
The bill extends the chief judge's compulsory age of retirement from 65 to 70 years, a move strongly opposed by anti-corruption groups.
These groups have alleged bribery involving the Supreme Court has tainted the deliberation process, with Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) claiming that about Rp 30 billion was channeled to smooth the passage of the amended law.
"We have sources saying the money was disbursed to accelerate the deliberation process," ICW's Emerson Yuntho said.
Panja member Nasir Jamil acknowledged he had heard rumors of bribes circulating within the committee, but said he had not uncovered any transaction or deal. "I hope it is not true," he said.
Although the bribery allegation reportedly forced PDI-P lawmaker Gayus Lumbuun to quit the Panja, Gayus said he withdrew because he was worried about a conflict of interest, as he will resume his job as a lawyer after retiring from the House.
Emerson urged political parties to scrutinize their members in the Panja and remove them from the committee if anything suspicious is detected. The speedy process and contentious issues, especially the extension of the maximum age for justices, have indicated that the revision to the law was merely intended to benefit Supreme Court judges, especially Bagir, he said.
"How can a bill get to the Panja so fast? As they are doing it in secrecy, we have every reason to believe they are playing around," Emerson added.
Bagir dismissed the bribery allegations, saying they were "way out of line".
Dozens of Regional Representatives Council (DPD) members demanded the government and the House be more transparent in the deliberation process and invite wider public participation before passing the bill.
"The current process seems to be done secretly. That's why many people have expressed suspicions with the process," DPD spokesman I Wayan Sudirta said.
Many other critics have said that although the age extension was proposed by the government, the Supreme Court was behind the suggestion.
"If it is true, then the Supreme Court is playing politics. It will be damaging if the judicial body is involved in politics because then law enforcement will politicized," Golkar lawmaker Harry Azhar Azis said.
Nasir Jamil said the Supreme Court would be indebted to the government and would have to pay later. "Then we will lose a chance to eradicate 'the court mafia' in the country," he added.