Jakarta-Public Relation: The Supreme Court held a Special Plenary Session for the Deputy Chief Justice for Non-Judicial Matters Election on Monday, 22 April 2024 at the Supreme Court. This election to fill the Deputy Chief Justice for Non-Judicial Matters position since Dr. Sunarto S.H., M.H. was inaugurated as a Deputy Chief Justice for Judicial Matters on 3 April 2024.

The Plenary Session was presided over by Prof. Dr. H. M. Syarifuddin, S.H., M.H., Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and it was opened for the public and everyone may watch the election process through live streaming on the Supreme Court’s YouTube channel.

This Election was attended by all (51) Supreme Court Justices. However, according to the list of attendance, there were just 47 Justices who attended in those elections, with the details 46 Justices attending in person in the Kusumah Atmadja room, 1 Justice was sick on the 12th floor, and the rest 4 Justices did not attend the election, but the session has met the quorum to be conducted.

Those Supreme Court Justices have the right to vote and be voted to become Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court according to Law No. 14 of 1985 concerning the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia as amended and supplemented by the Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 5 of 2004, and the Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 3 of 2009 which promulgating that the Chief and the Deputy Chief of the Supreme Court are voted by the Supreme Court Justices.

Before the election held, the committee gave the Commitment Form to become the Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court candidate for all Supreme Court Justices. Of 51 Supreme Court Justices there were five names declared their commitments as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for Non-Judicial Matters Candidate, the following names were the candidates based on the alphabet:

1. Dr. Hamdi, S.H., M.Hum.
2. Prof. Dr. H. Haswandi, S.H., S.E., M.Hum., M.M.
3. Dr. Irfan Fachruddin, S.H., CN.
4. Dr. Pri Pambudi Teguh, S.H., M.H.
5. Suharto, S.H., M.Hum.

In the beginning of election, Prof. Dr. M. Syarifuddin, as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court declares that he will not use his right to vote in order to preserve neutrality. However, he emphasized to remain supporting the election process and to stand up for whoever will be elected.

Hereunder were the election results on the first round:

• Dr. Hamdi, S.H., M.Hum. obtained 3 ballots.
• Prof. Dr. H. Haswandi, S.H., S.E., M.Hum., M.M. obtained 10 ballots.
• Dr. Irfan Fachruddin, S.H., CN. obtaining 7 ballots.
• Dr. Pri Pambudi Teguh, S.H., M.H. obtained 8 ballots.
• Suharto, S.H., M.Hum obtained 16 ballots.

And there was one spoiled ballot and one abstained ballot.

The Chairperson of the Session decided to do the second round session due to having not met the quorum. This second session resulted in two candidates who obtained the most ballots, Haswandi obtained 22 ballots and Suharto obtained 24 ballots. Therefore, Suharto was confirmed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as the elected Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for Non-Judicial Matters of 2024-2029.

Suharto, S.H., M.Hum, the new Deputy Chief Justice for Non-Judicial Matters said thank you to all Supreme Court Justices who voted for him to assist the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He could not visualize what kind of his duties in the future, as it was not his field of expertise, however he will endeavor his best by consulting with Dr. Sunarto, S.H., M.H., the former Deputy Chief Justice for Non-Judicial Matters as the current Deputy Chief Justice for Judicial Matters.

“I could not visualize the future, but thankfully I could consult with the former Deputy Chief Justice for Non-Judicial Matters who might give me directions. This gives me faith to protect the Supreme Court’s dignity in the future,” he said with a trembling voice.

On the same occasion, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in his speech congratulated Suharto who had been elected. He hoped that Suharto might serve the duty and the responsibility that was entrusted to him for the next five years. He also hoped Suharto might bring positive improvements to the Supreme Court and the courts in the future.

A brief biography of Suharto, the elected Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for Non-Judicial Matters

Suharto, a Supreme Court Justice, was born in Madiun on 13 June 1960. He was inaugurated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as the Supreme Court Justice on Tuesday, 19 October 2021. In early 2023, the Alumnus of Universitas Jember (1984) and Universitas Merdeka Malang (2003) was entrusted as the Spokesperson of the Supreme Court replacing Andi Samsan Nganro who has been retired. In the same year, Suharto was entrusted as the Chairperson of Criminal Cases Chamber which was inaugurated by the Chief of the Supreme Court on 23 October 2023 replacing Suhadi who has been retired.

Some of Suharto other positions before being the Deputy Chief Justice for Non-Judicial Matters are Junior Criminal Registrar of the Supreme Court, High Judge of the Makassar High Court, Chief of Central Jakarta District Court, Deputy Chief of Samarinda District Court, Deputy Chief of North Jakarta District Court, and others. (azh/RS/photo:Adr,Alf,Yrz/ Translated by AF/LHS/reviewed by azh/RS)