President Chooses Saldi Isra to Replace Patrialis Akbar at Constitutional Court
Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has chosen Andalas University's law expert Saldi Isra to fill the post left vacant at the Constitutional Court by disgraced judge Patrialis Akbar.
Saldi was among the shortlisted candidates, including Bernard Tanya of Nusa Cendana University and former director general of law at the Human Rights Ministry Wicipto Setiadi.
The government has yet to make an official announcement.
"I asked the State Secretariat about the selection and they said the president had chosen Saldi," head of the government's selection team, Harjono, said on Saturday (08/04).
He added the State Secretariat also told him the inauguration ceremony will be held on Tuesday.
The Constitutional Court is one of highest state institutions in the country, which has the power to review any law that contravenes the Constitution. It also resolves electoral disputes and conflicts between other state institutions.
The president, the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court each appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court for a five-year period.
Saldi will replace Patrialis, who was chosen by former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2013. Patrialis was discharged in January after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested him in a sting operation.
He allegedly received nearly $160,000 in bribes to help a third party with a judicial review of a law on animal farming and health.
The Constitutional Court has been marred by bribery scandals in recent years. Akil Mochtar, its former chairman, was sentenced to life in prison in 2015, in another unrelated bribery case.
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