"The old organization bears the burden of past corruption. Therefore, legal institutions sabotage each other," Mahfud said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Constitutional Court (MK) Chief Justice Mahfud MD has called for the dismissal and replacement of all law enforcement officials so the nation's legal institutions can be freed from the influence of long-standing corruption.

"The old organization bears the burden of past corruption. Therefore, legal institutions sabotage each other," he said during an expert panel discussion, themed "Law, Justice, and Social Order", held in Jakarta on Friday.

"Legal institutions are able to hold each other hostage because they know about each other's scandals," Mahfud explained.

Therefore, he suggested that all law enforcement officials be dismissed and replaced with new officials.

"Some countries have already taken such steps in order to form a new organization that is free from the influences of the past," Mahfud pointed out.

He cited the examples of newly formed state institutions, such as the MK, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), and the Judicial Commission (KY), saying "they have been functioning quite well".

"The success of these institutions cannot be solely attributed to good leaders and officials; most importantly, they were not shackled by longstanding corruption," Mahfud noted.

"I know of a certain official who was considered a failure when working with a now-closed institution. But this very person became a huge success when leading a KPK team," he continued.

"South Africa is a good example among countries that have successfully implemented the system I am suggesting now. It gave amnesty to some of its corrupt officials but warned them of death penalty if they were found guilty of corruption again," Mahfud said.

"However, there must be a strong leader who has the integrity to implement such measures. Otherwise, the same old corrupt people will enter the new institutions and it will all end up being a futile effort," he added.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012