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JAKARTA (Suara Karya): Newly elected Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court for period of 2008-2011, Mohammad Mahfud MD, stated that he would maintain the Constitutional Court Justices as what had been done by the former Chief Justice, Jimly Asshiddiqie.

"I will maintain the Constitutional Court Justices’ independency," emphasized Mahfud after the Election of New Chief Justice and Vice, in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Mahfud MD at that opportunity also gave credit to the leadership of Jimly Asshiddiqie which had successfully made the Constitutional Court to be popular, regardless its new and unfamous status as a constitutional institution," he said.

Meanwhile, the new Vice Chief Justice, Abdul Mukhtie Fadjar, expected all leaders in the Court to do more than just talk or act like a celebrity. They should be able to guide this institution into a better direction.

"A leader should be able to lead the Constitutional Court to a better direction," he said in his speech before the voting begun.

A Constitutional Justice, Akil Mochtar said that a Constitutional Court justice had to maintain the independency in the process of guarding the constitutionality. "Of course, this institution needs a tough leader," he said.

Besides that, he continued, the next five years would be the period of maturity for the Court after being founded in 2003, even though there were some parties who wished to review the existence of this Court. "But it happens naturally," he said.

Ever since the establishment in 2003, the Constitutional Court had experienced three elections for Chief Justice, the first one was in August 9, 2003 and Jiimly Asshiddiqie came out as the Chief Justice with Laica Marzuki as his vice.

Then in 2006, Jimly Asshiddiqie was reelected as a Chief Justice until 2009, yet in August 16, 2008 he ended his term of office as a constitutional justice before he was re-inaugurated as a justice from the Parliament by the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Because of that, the election for a new chief justice and vice had to be conducted for the period of 2008-2011 which resulted in Mohammad Mahfud MD as the new Chief Justice.

The election itself was done in two rounds. In the first round, both Mahfud and Jimly got four votes out of nine justices whereas one justice decided to be abstain. In the second roung, Mahfud received five votes to outrun Jimlu with four votes.

Mahfud, previously a member of the parliament, was chosen as a Constitutional Justice and sworn in before the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on April 1, 2008.

Meanwhile, Abdul Muhktie Fadjar, was elected tp be the Vice Chief Justice accompaniying The Chief Justice, Mohammad Mahfud MD. The election was held in three rounds with all nine justices joining in.

In the first round, Akil Mochtar got three votes, Maruarar Siahaan two, Abdul Mukhtie Fadjar two, and Arsyad Sanusi one, with another abstain voter. In the second round, Abdul Mukhtie Fadjar got four votes, Maruarar Siahaan three, and Akil Mochtar two. In the last round, Abdul Mukhtie Fadjar got five votes and Maruarar Siahaan with four. (Wilmar P/Ant)

Sumber www.suarakarya-online.com (20/08/08)
Foto Dokumentasi Humas MK

Translated by Yogi Djatnika (MKRI)

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