West Sumatra Ministry Of Law And Human Rights Provide IDR 665 Million For Legal Assistance For The Poor

PADANG - The Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in West Sumatra will provide a budget of IDR 665 million in 2021 to provide free legal assistance for residents or the poor.

Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of West Sumatra, R. Andika Dwi Prasetya, said that the public could access the budget through 12 legal aid organizations (OBH) that have been accredited by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

"This budget is a form of state presence for underprivileged citizens who are in legal trouble so that they are accompanied by lawyers for free", Andika said in Padang as reported by Antara on Thursday, February 17.

He said this after the signing of the contract for the implementation of free legal aid for the poor or groups of poor people in 2022 at the West Sumatra Ministry of Law and Human Rights Office.

According to him, underprivileged citizens who need free legal assistance can access it through 12 OBH that have been approved and accredited by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in the period 2022-2024.

He said the 12 OBH were Wira Satria Bukittinggi (Accredited C), Erik Septria Esa Agam (Accredited C), Aisyah Padang (Accredited C), and Posbakumadin Dharmasraya (Accredited C).

Next comes Fiat Justicia Batu Sangkar (Accreditation B), Fiat Justicia Law Office Association (Accreditation C), Posbakumadin Solok (Accreditation C), and Posbakumadin Koto Baru (Accreditation C).

Other OBHs are YLBHI West Sumatra (Accredited C), PAHAM W Sumatra (Accredited C), PBHI Padang (Accredited C), and Posbakumadin Pasaman Barat (Accredited C).

"So, underprivileged citizens no longer need to pay to OBH who provide legal assistance because the assistance costs have been provided by the state through the Ministry of Law and Human Rights", he said.

He said residents who want to access free legal aid must have a disability certificate from the local government.

Assistance can be accessed by underprivileged residents who are involved in criminal and civil cases at every stage of case processing.

The former Kakanwil of the Banten Ministry of Law and Human Rights also encouraged the 12 OBH to remain active and maximal in providing legal assistance to the poor.

"So far the role of OBH in West Sumatra is very good, this is evident from the absorption of the legal aid budget in 2020 of Rp600, which reaches 100 percent", he said.

On that occasion, the West Sumatra Ministry of Law and Human Rights Regional Office also presented an award to one of the OBH, namely Legal Aid Institute Indonesian Center for Legal Advocacy and Human Rights (PAHAM) for its activeness in assisting in 2020.