Haryanti Puspa Sari, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) says that the House of Representative's (DPR) move to not include the Draft Law on Asset Seizures (RUU Perampasan Aset) in the proposed National Legislation Programs (Prolegnas) for 2025-2029 is very disappointing for the public.
"The news that until now the Draft Law on Asset Seizures has not been included in the 2025-2029 National Legislation Program is certainly very disappointing for the public", ICW Researcher Diky Anandya said when contacted on Tuesday October 29.
Anandya said that all members of the DPR must understand that the bill is an important instrument as a stimulus in the agenda of eradicating corruption in Indonesia, especially in the recovery of assets resulting from criminal corruption crimes.
Based ICW's notes in a report on the results of monitoring the trial process of corruption cases throughout 2015-2023, state losses arising from corruption cases reached 279.2 trillion rupiah.
However, the recovery of losses through ordering financial compensation from corruption convicts was only 37.2 trillion rupiah, therefore he believes that the asset seizure bill must be completed immediately.
Anandya also encouraged President Prabowo Subianto to include the asset seizure bill in the list of Prolegnas proposals from the government. He reminded the government that the bill was actually a government proposal.
"It should not be a heavy task for Prabowo to be able to convince the DPR to immediately deliberate the asset seizure bill, because the majority of DPR members come from the coalition of [political] parties in his government", said Anandya.
Aside from this, he also hops that the DPR's Commission XIII will propose that the bill be included in the Prolegnas as a priority bill. "This is a commitment that the bill is a carryover from the previous period", said Anandya.
Earlier, the Draft Law on Asset Seizures was not in the list of proposed draft laws included in the Prolegnas. This is based on the list read out at a meeting of the DPR's Legislative Body (Baleg) on Monday October 28, which discussed an evaluation of the previous legislative period and the proposed Prolegnas.
Based on a Commission III letter as of October 24, only a bill on civil procedural law and a bill on international civil law was promoted in the Prolegnas.
Asset seizure bill not needed
Baleg Deputy Chairperson Ahmad Doli Kurnia meanwhile said he believes that Indonesia already has enough rules on the eradication of corruption without an asset seizure law. This was conveyed by Kurnia in response to the failure to include the bill in the Prolegnas determined by the Baleg.
"But from the discussion with friends, there were several here, actually when talking about the eradication of corruption, even without us then producing the asset seizure law, it's enough", said Kurnia at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Tuesday October 29.
Moreover, said Kurnia, President Prabowo has continued to emphasise that corruption must be eliminated. He asserted that Prabowo and the DPR are committed to eradicating corruption.
"Now, on what laws are actually needed, later we want to put this together, whether it includes the asset seizure law, that's what we're studying", said Kurnia.
Furthermore, Kurnia is asking that public not draw the conclusion that the DPR rejects or does not accept the bill. The Golkar Party politician believes that the DPR still carrying out a consolidation to determine which bills exactly will be included in the Prolegnas.
"Don't immediacy conclude that that the DPR rejects the Draft Law on Asset Seizures, or doesn't accept asset seizures, once again we are currently consolidating, finding out which laws are necessary", he said.
Kurnia again said that Indonesia has a strong desire to be free from corruption. Therefore, the DPR will also prepare important laws that support the issue of corruption.
"Whether the asset seizure law is part of it, this is what we are currently strengthening, including the substance. If indeed later it's needed, if it becomes an important part of eradicating corruption, I think the government and the DPR will discuss it further", he said.
[Abridged translation by James Balowski based on two articles by Kompas.com on October 29. The original title of the lead article was "RUU Perampasan Aset Tak Masuk Prolegnas Usulan DPR, ICW: Sangat Mengecewakan".]
