"The lack of English competency remains a challenge to our law school students. I have been aware of this language barrier problem, because I have served as a private law school's dean in North Sumatra," Laoly stated at a limited discussion with the Association of Law School Deans (APPTHI) members at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Office in Jakarta.
Laoly further stated that the ministry has encouraged the state and private law schools to reform their curriculum so that future legal practitioners could represent Indonesian government in an international trial or arbitration court.
Indonesia has received a growing number of foreign investments for the past years due to globalization. The investments sometimes initiate a dispute between the corporations or the companies with the government, the minister noted, while adding that the friction could occur because open market system has allowed each country to export not only products but also services to the other nations.
"I have received a letter from some associations asking the government to restrict or at least limit the activities of foreign lawyers in the country. I could understand peoples concern toward the issue, but instead of being protectionist, the government encourages our legal practitioners to enhance their capacities so they could compete locally and globally," he noted.
Therefore, the ministry will always support the law schools effort for improvement by providing some courses and seminars aimed to teach students to draft a contract, an agreement, or represent the country in an international court.
At a similar occasion, the association's eastern region representative chairman Roberth K.R Hammar stated that the law school deans have to reaffirm their commitments in reforming the curriculum.
"We should be aware that the qualities our legal practitioners are actually affecting the countrys law enforcement system," Hammar reiterated.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
