Government Wants Military Courts Bill to be Passed Soon
Wednesday, 29 November, 2006 | 14:35 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Tangerang: The government expects that the Military Courts Bill be passed as soon as the President agrees that military personnel who commit general criminal act be tried at public courts.

“The President agrees about that article. I will go to the House to talk about when we will process it or introduce it in a plenary session,” said Hamid Awaludin, Justice and Human Rights Minister yesterday (28/11) in the Immigration Office of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang.

However, Hamid is pessimistic that the Military Courts Bill will be passed this year.

“This is because, on December 8 the House will start a recess period,” said Hamid.

The discussion of this bill has so far still been hampered because the government has not agreed with the House about whether military personnel who commit criminal acts can or cannot be tried at public courts.

The government asked that the military be given five years time, while the House wants a period of between two and three years.

Because agreement has not been reached, some time ago the House sent a letter to the President.

However, so far the President has not replied to the letter.

The government, through State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra, regards the letter sent by House Chairman Agung Laksono as uncommon.

However, Agung put the matter back in Yusril’s court by saying: “What is uncommon is instead the minister.”.

According to Agung, his side has sent letters to the President twice.

The last one was on November 1.

“We addressed the letter to him because the discussion is actually in a deadlock,” he said.

Andreas Parera, Head of the Special Committee for the Military Court Bills, is of the same opinion as Agung.
Andreas regards that Yusril's statement was not proportional.

Thus, according to him, the matter will be discussed at a House plenary meeting.

Sutarto and Aguslia H