MK CHIEF DEFENDS HIS PRESENCE AT BOGOR PALACE MEETING

Jakarta, Jan 25 (ANTARA) - Constitutional Court (MK) Chairman Mahfud MD said his presence at a meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Bogor on January 21, 2010 was by no means a violation of ethics in inter-institutional relations.

"My presence at the meeting at the Bogor Palace was not a breach of ethical rules," Mahfud said after attending a function where the Constitional Court was named a transparent judicial body by Brawijaya University on Monday.

"On the contrary, not attending the Bogor meeting with the president would have been unethical," he said.

He said that in religious teaching, it was a must for someone to attend a gathering if he or she was invited to do so, and this was also applied the invitation he had received for the Bogor Palace meeting.

Moreover, he said, the meeting in Bogor was not secret in nature and did not discuss any case being handled by the MK.

Earlier, last Friday, Mahfud said the question of impeachment did arise at the Bogor Palace but there was little discussion on it.

"The impeachment issue came up but was discussed only in brief," Mahfud said, adding that there was some comment in relation with the substance article 7 in the 1945 Constitution.

Last Thursday (Jan 21), President Yudhoyono held a first ever gathering with state institution leaders at the Bogor Presidential Palace to improve communications among high state institutions.

"This is the first ever gathering with high state institution leaders to improve our communications," the president said at the time.

According to the head of state, the gathering was by no means intended to enable the government to interfere in the institions' affairs.

"We each have our own functions and tasks as high state institution chiefs and therefore the government had no intention to interfere in the affairs of other high state instititions because we have the same goal, namely to do something in the interest of all the people, the state, and nation," Yudhoyono said.

Present at the gathering with the president were among others
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speker Taufik Kiemas, Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Chairman Irman Gusman, Judicial Commission Chairman Busyro Muqqoddas, Supreme Court Chairman Agung Harifin Tumpa, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Marzuki Alie, Supreme Audit Board (BPK) Chairman Hadi Purnomo, and Constitutional Court chairman Mahfud MD.

On the occasion President Yudhoyono was accompanied by among others Vice President Boediono, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Radjasa, and Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi.