Antigraft bill passed by House<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The death penalty awaits convicted corruptors
\nwhen the new antigraft bill, which the House of Representatives
\nendorsed on Friday, comes into effect.<\/p>\n
The four House factions in a plenary session chaired by House
\nDeputy Speaker Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno lauded the new law, which
\npromises greater authority for law enforcers, as proof of the
\ngovernment's commitment to pursue corruption cases.<\/p>\n
Agus Muhyidin of the ruling Golkar Party faction said the
\nspecial committee in charge of the bill had made substantial
\nprogress in their deliberations. He said new ideas had been
\nintroduced so that the completed document would be an effective
\nlegal tool for the next government.<\/p>\n
\"The law gives more authority to law enforcers, including the
\nNational Police, the Attorney General's Office and judges in
\ntheir investigations, prosecution and dispensing of punishment.<\/p>\n
\"Law enforcers will be allowed to receive information on
\ncorruption from all sides, including parties whose identity will
\nremain confidential,\" he said at the plenary session.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Budi Santoso, deputy chairman of the military
\nfaction, said the law would mean that public officials,
\ncorporations and bank creditors would be forced to reconsider
\ncommitting crimes. He said the law introduces the death penalty
\nas the maximum punishment for convicted corruptors and
\nembezzlers.<\/p>\n
\"This law with harsh sanctions, plus the law on clean
\ngovernance that we passed in May, is expected to be an effective
\nfuture means for the campaign against corruption,\" he said after
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
The clean governance law stipulates that new public officials
\ndeclare their personal assets and their corporations' assets
\nbefore taking on their jobs.<\/p>\n
State Secretary\/Justice Minister Muladi, who represented the
\ngovernment in the plenary session, also hailed the law. He said
\nwith the greater authority invested in the law, law enforcers
\nwould be able to escalate their investigative powers when
\nhandling corruption cases.<\/p>\n
\"In handling corruption cases in the banking sector, for
\nexample, law enforcers will be allowed to freeze a suspect's bank
\naccount, and will be able to ask the central bank to reveal their
\nbank accounts,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The minister said the new law, which will replace the 1970
\nAnticorruption Law, introduces a system of a \"balanced burden of
\nevidence\" in corruption investigations.<\/p>\n
\"Under this system, a suspect can be made to explain how they
\nobtained their wealth and that of his\/her family. But, at the
\nsame time, there is a guarantee of the suspect's right for self-
\ndefense to prove that he\/she is not guilty,\" Muladi said.<\/p>\n
The minister said the death sentence would be handed down on
\nthose found to have committed corruption more than once, those
\nwho were involved in major embezzlement cases, and to those who
\ntook advantage of situations during a state of emergency,
\nnational disasters and economic crises.<\/p>\n
\"The law also threatens a maximum 20-year jail sentence,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The minister said in the next two years, an independent
\nanticorruption agency would be set up to help eradicate
\ncorruption. \"The agency will be run by independent professionals
\nand chaired by the attorney general.\"<\/p>\n
Commenting about the newly introduced bill on state security,
\nthe minister said the government was open to public comments and
\nsuggestions about the document. He reiterated, however, that the
\nlaw was needed in a state of emergency.<\/p>\n
\"The creation of the bill is in accordance with all laws and
\nbills aimed at improving the people's social welfare. In a state
\nof emergency, a martial law is needed to restore order and
\nsecurity as well as to maintain national unity.\"<\/p>\n
He said the bill was in substance better than the 1959 State
\nof Emergency Law.<\/p>\n
Syamsu Rizal Panggabean, director of the security and peace
\nstudies department at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, said
\nthe bill stipulates that riots and separatist efforts could no
\nlonger be handled by military repression.<\/p>\n
\"Violence and separatism movements can only be handled through
\na democratic political process,\" he said. (rms\/44)<\/p>",
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