Commission on Law of the House of Representatives starting from tomorrow (11/3) until Friday would do the fit and proper test on 18 constitution justice candidates. “Before they are tested, they must make a paper,” said Vice Chairman of Commission on Law of the Parliament, Aziz Syamsuddin to Tempo yesterday.

Aziz said that the candidates should make the paper themselves in the Commission on Law. They were given an hourt to complete the paper. “We have prepared five themes, they are all about Constitutional Court and constitution,” said the politician from Golkar Fraction.

However, the paper making was not applied to the candidates who were still the Constitution Justices, such as Jimly Ashiddiqie and Harjono. “Pak Jimly and Harjono not (making the paper) because they once did,” he said.

The Fit and Proper test for Jimly Asshiddiqie and Harjono was a little different. According to Azis, the Commission on Law were just going to evaluate the performance Jimly and Harjono during their term as the Constitution Justices. “We are going to evaluate the policy and the decision during their period,” he said.

Aziz also added, the fit and proper test would be conducted the following day. Every day four candidates would be tested. Each of the candidate would be asked some questions around the Constitutional Court, legislation and the constitution.

The term of the nine constitution justices are going to end in August this year. Three of them are going to retire earlier. They are Achmad Roestandi (March 1, 2008), Mohammad Laica Marzuki (May 5, 2008), and Soedarsono (June 5, 2008). Roestandi was proposed by the Parliament, meanwhile Laica and Soedarsono were proposed by the Supreme Court. In the fit and proper test, the Parliament will choose three constitution justices.

Of the 19 constitution justice candidates to be tested, two members of the Parliament are noted, they are Mahfud Md. From the Nation Awakening Fraction and Akil Mochtar from Golkar Fraction.

Members of the Commission on Law, Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa, assured that they would receive equal treatment with the other candidates. “(They) should go through the whole process of the selection,” he said.[] DWI RIYANTO AGUSTIAR/RINI KUSTIANI/SUTARTO

Source: HU Koran Tempo, Monday, March 10th, 2008
Translated by: Yogi Djatnika (Staff of The Constitutional Court of The Republic of Indonesia)