Haryanti Puspa Sari, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) believes the government is always promising to impoverish corruptors through the Draft Law on Asset Forfeiture (RUU Perampasan Aset) but this is never accompanied by concrete steps.
This was conveyed by ICW in response to a statement by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka that the Asset Forfeiture Bill is urgently needed to eradicate corruption.
"The government is always paying lip service declaring it will impoverish corruptors through the Asset Forfeiture Bill, but at the same time [and] to this day there has been no concrete follow-up", said ICW Legal and Investigation Division Head Wana Alamsyah when contacted by Kompas.com on Friday February 13.
Wana said, the Asset Forfeiture Bill not only relates to assets that are difficult to confiscate, but also the increases in public officials' wealth, which is considered unreasonable and whose source is unknown.
"Aside from this, what's also important in the Asset Forfeiture Bill not only related to assets that are difficult to confiscate, but also the need for norms regarding increases in unreasonable assets in order to target public officials with assets of unknown origin", he said.
Earlier, Gibran stated that an Asset Forfeiture Bill is now very urgent and important so that the state can confiscate assets derived from crimes, including corruption.
"As long as assets can be proven to originate directly or indirectly from a crime such as corruption, narcotics, illegal mining, illegal fishing, illegal logging, gambling or TPPO [human trafficking], the state has the authority to confiscate the assets to return it to the state, becoming the people's property that be used in the interests of the people", Gibran said in a video statement on Friday.
"This is the essence of the Asset Forfeiture Bill that is currently very important and urgent", he continued.
Gibran explained that the Asset Forfeiture Bill represents the implementation of the 2003 United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which regulates the confiscation of assets without criminal prosecution.
According to Gibran, the Asset Forfeiture Bill is becoming increasingly relevant and crucial for the recovery of state assets. "Especially when the perpetrator of a crime dies or flees abroad", said Gibran.
Gibran explained that discussions regarding the Asset Forfeiture Bill must be carried out immediately, seriously, comprehensively and transparently.
In addition to this, Gibran asked that the bill's deliberations involve all parties, including practitioners in order to produce a strong regulation with strict oversight, so it is hard on perpetrators.
"But not arbitrary against those who are not perpetrators", he emphasised.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "ICW Nilai Pemerintah Hanya Lip Service soal RUU Perampasan Aset".]
