Purwoto Gandasubrata Explained

Purwoto Gandasubrata
Office:Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia
Term Start1:1992
Term End1:1994
Nominator1:Suharto
Predecessor1:Ali Said
Successor1:Suryono
Birth Date:11 October 1929
Birth Place:Purwokerto, Central Java, Indonesia
Citizenship:Indonesian
Occupation:judge

Purwoto Gandasubrata was the eighth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia. Alongside the Ministry of Justice officials in the Sixth Development Cabinet, Gandasubrata was a part of a general return of civilian officials to the judiciary of Indonesia in the early 1990s after a period of former military officials dominating the branch from the late 1970s.[1] Gandasubrata had initially served as the chief of the district court of Semarang, as well as the chairman of the regional branch of the Indonesian Judges Association.[2]

Gandasubrata was the first Chief Justice appointed from the professional judiciary since Umar Seno Aji.[3] During his two years in the position, much of his efforts were spent on attempts to increase the autonomy, power, and status of the judicial branch of government.[4] On the occasion of his retirement in 1994, Gandasubrata announced a 100% salary increase for Indonesian judges in a move that was seen as a parting gift.[5] The increase was later offset by a 45% reduction in benefits enacted by the government.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Daniel S. Lev, Legal Evolution and Political Authority in Indonesia: Selected Essays, pg. 314. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2000.
  2. Sebastian Pompe, The Indonesian Supreme Court, pg. 63.
  3. Sebastian Pompe, The Indonesian Supreme Court, pg. 141.
  4. Sebastian Pompe, The Indonesian Supreme Court: A Study of Institutional Collapse, pg. 149. Ithaca: Cornell Southeast Asia Program, 2005.
  5. Sebastian Pompe, The Indonesian Supreme Court, pg. 148.