The Orientation by Vice-Chairman for non-Judicial Matters of the Supreme Court in PTA Yogyakarta

pta-yogyakarta.go.id | Friday (20/01/12)

A moment of a national seminar to be organized by the Islamic University of Indonesia, Yogyakarta was used well by the High Religious Court Yogyakarta (PTA Yogyakarta) by inviting the speakers from the Supreme Court to provide orientation to judges within the jurisdiction of PTA Yogyakarta. The seminar itself, whose theme is 'Mediation and Legal Assistance in the Religious Courts Environment: Agenda and Problems' to be held on Saturday (20/01/12), would be attended by judges from the region of Yogyakarta.

The orientation for judges took place in the hall of PTA Yogyakarta, Friday evening (20/01/12), was delivered by the Vice Chief Justice for non-Judicial Matters of the Supreme Court  Dr. Drs. H. Ahmad Kamil, SH., MH., the Supreme Justice Dr. Habiburrahman, SH., MHum., and the Director General of Badilag Drs. Wahyu Widiana, MA. The orientation was attended by judges from across religious courts of PTA Yogyakarta.

Vice Chief Justice delivering orientation

The Chairman of PTA Yogyakarta, Drs. H. Ahmad Syarhuddin, SH., MH., In his speech extended his welcome to seminar participants from various regions who stood a chance to attend, among others, Drs. Edi Riadi, SH., MH Junior Registrar of Religious Civil Case of the Supreme Court, several  PTA Chairmen, from Semarang, Banten, Palangkaraya, Pontianak, Makassar, and Bengkulu. The moment itself was he considered rare, because it brings direct the leaders of the Supreme Court, especially of the religion courts.

DG of Badilag, Wahyu Widiana, starting his briefing said that courts within the jurisdiction of PTA Yogyakarta last year dominated four of the five best of the best courts in the field of performance of transparency through the website.

"Of the five best of the best courts, four rankings are in the Yogyakarta region, and one in Surabaya," said Director General. "The assessment was nationally conducted from an NGO from the Netherlands to four judiciary environments," added the Director General. DG also explained that the religious courts have recently gained a positive appreciation in the International Journal of Court Administration (IJCA) regarding the success of judicial reform program. What the DG conveyed was aimed to motivate the corps of religious courts within the jurisdiction of PTA Yogyakarta to maintain and continuously improve the positive things that have been achieved.

While the Supreme Justice Habiburrahman conveyed an interesting thing related to the utilization of information technology within religious courts of Yogyakarta. He said that during his visit to Australia, he met Professor Inada, a mediation expert from Japan, who said that he would make a visit to Bantul Religious Court in Yogyakarta, in order to see the implementation of mediation in religious courts, particularly in the region of Yogyakarta. The professor’s interest was due to previous frequent communication and experience exchange through internet by a judge of Bantul Religious Court.

The judge referred to, was Lily Ahmad, who recently became a judge in PA Yogyakarta. Through communication with this judge who is also an activist for women, Professor Tatsuki Inada, a professor of law at Law Faculty of Gakushuin University Japan, together with Prof. Kusano Yoshiro and Dr. Satoru Nagao visited PA Bantul (Tuesday, 27/12/11) and exchanged experiences with judge mediators of religious courts within the jurisdiction of PTA Yogyakarta.

Justice Habiburrahman further urged the judges to promote their knowledge as a tool. "Who wants the world, then let by knowledge. Who wants the Hereafter, let by knowledge. And who wants both, then let by knowledge, "said Habiburrahman citing a hadith.

"Lifelong education should be the motto of life for the judges," he added.

Vice Chief Justice: achievement, a must

 In line with Justice Habiburrahman, Deputy Chief Justice also urged the judges to favor knowledge in regard to improving the quality of human resources. "We may not live without achievement in this era," he said.

He explained the judicial performance index has increased over the previous year. "As Director General delivered before, the objective assessments of other institutions are always attached to us now," said Ahmad Kamil. He gave the example of the Supreme Court’s staffing database at the top ten best assessments, as well as the performance of transparency which was ranked sixth by the Central Information Commission a few months ago.

Improved performance and achievements which have been achieved does not simply satisfy the Supreme Court because the supervision and quality improvement efforts will always be conducted. He warned, even a Chairman of the appellate court may also be transferred back as a high judge if then he/she does not have the capital and skills in building the courts below.

Another thing emphasized by Vice Chief was that judges to carry out straight their duties. "Never be afraid if right, if wrong do resign early, rather than to be laid off then," he said.

Taking picture together after the orientation