http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/article/19708.html
May 13, 2009 Nivell Rayda Corruption Not Only Thing That Stinks in Court The Anti-Corruption Court may be tough on the nation's corrupt elite, but there are certainly more than a few cracks in its structure. Though one could be forgiven for denying enemies of the state pleasant surroundings before they are jailed, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, court staff and observers who attend the trials are now turning their noses up at the appalling condition of the court on Jalan Rasuna Said in South Jakarta. "People have long complained about the court's filthy condition," said Chandra Hamzah, the deputy for graft investigation and prosecutions at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), on Wednesday. "We want it to be more up to standard. We are working with the court to do something about it." The head of the court, Judge Andriani Nurdin, said they would prioritize the upgrading of the courtrooms themselves, the bathrooms, witness waiting room, suspect holding room and prosecutors and judges offices. "We will have a brainstorming session [with the KPK next week] and by then we will know what to fix and how much we are planning to spend," the judge said. The well-respected court is visibly run down, with cracked windows, crumbling partition walls, peeling wallpaper and dirty ceilings lined with cobwebs. Only the two court rooms and judges quarters have proper lighting while the rest, like the entrance lobby, are gloomy and dim. The same cannot be said about the floors occupied by government workers, however, which are in much better shape. Most visitors have opted to stay away from the court's toilets, the stench being unbearable with barely working plumbing and very little cleaning and maintenance. "I cannot even begin to describe the men's room," said Andi, a visitor who frequented the court accompanying one of the defendants. "The floor is flooded with water, the bathroom has no door, the smell is unbelievable, cigarette butts clog the pipe, the walls are dirty. It's disgusting." Another visitor, Salim, said he preferred to go to a cleaner bathroom on the fourth floor. "I had a traumatic experience when an old lady entered the men's room," he said. Salim was referring to a food vendor known to court staff as "Emak," Indonesian for "madam." Emak and her two assistants work at a stall on the second floor, next to the emergency stairs. Emak often uses the men's room to wash dishes - the only room which has running water [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
