LBH Jakarta Criticized About Legal Aid Expansion, Provincial Government: The Basis Is Wrong

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The DKI Provincial Government (Pemprov) welcomes criticism from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) regarding expanding access to legal aid. However, the legal basis of the criticism is considered to be wrong.

Assistant to the Regional Secretary of DKI Jakarta, Sigit Wijatmoko, said that in his criticism, LBH Jakarta used Government Regulation (PP) 43/2016 as the basis for expanding access to legal aid.

In fact, the contents of the regulation are regarding the addition of the Republic of Indonesia's State Equity Participation into the Share Capital of the Company (Persero) PT Krakatau Steel Tbk.

"In the LBH Jakarta report which assesses that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is not serious in expanding access to legal aid, something needs to be straightened out," said Sigit in his statement, Sunday, October 24.

In addition, Sigit also mentioned that in expanding access to legal aid, the DKI Provincial Government already has Regional Regulation (Perda) 4/2013. Where, the rule is a derivative of PP Number 42 of 2013 concerning Terms and Procedures for Providing Legal Aid and Distribution of Legal Aid Funds.

"The PP states that the source of funding for legal aid in the regions is allocated in the APBD," he said.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) has also determined the procedure for providing legal aid. In fact, it is not only done by budgeting in the APBD but also through the mechanism of grants that are sourced from the APBD and set forth in the Regional Regulation of the Regional Budget.

"Thus, the administration of legal aid by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government through the grant mechanism is in line with PP 43/2016," said Sigit. people with disabilities, social disabilities, disaster victims, and/or victims of acts of violence and exploitation," he continued.

On the other hand, Sigit also stated that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government had held a FGD with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights for the preparation of the Bankum Law. The suggestion from the DKI Provincial Government is that the provision of Bankum can be harmonized with the pattern of financial management in the region. One form of bank support from the DKI Provincial Government, among others, is a legal aid grant to LBH Jakarta/YLBHI.

"The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government believes that LBH wants to bring justice, as is the desire of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government in the policies it presents. For that, we at the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government are open to substantive collaboration," concluded Sigit.