Death penalty for corruptors, why not?<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A death penalty proposal for those convicted of large scale
\ncorruption was put forth by the Crescent Star Party (PBB) on
\nMonday and received a positive response from observers.<\/p>\n
In a country where heavy-weight corruptors can freely flaunt
\ntheir wealth, capital punishment would be a good shock therapy
\nagainst thus far futile efforts to combat corruption, they said.<\/p>\n
If Indonesia eventually has a law mandating death, People will
\nhave to think twice before they do the crime, said Riswandha
\nImawan, a political observer from Gadjah Mada University,
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
\"It's a good idea but make sure that only the big time
\ncorruptors who steal billions of rupiah get death. It's not good
\nfor the rank-and-file who steal a typewriter,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Muslim-based Crescent Star Party floated the idea in one
\nof the Assembly sessions on Sunday.<\/p>\n
A Party spokesman at the Assembly, Mochtar Naim, said that in
\nIslam, corruption -- just like stealing -- is one of the most
\nserious offenses and punishable by death.<\/p>\n
\"The death penalty would save millions of people who have
\ntheir rights deprived by the corruptors,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The PBB was inspired by President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
\ninsistence on enforcing the death penalty for big time drug
\noffenders.<\/p>\n
Megawati has, on several occasions, called corruptors
\n\"thieves\" who plunder the public's wealth.<\/p>\n
Like other previous administrations, Megawati has been heavily
\ncriticized for her lack of courage to move against corrupt
\nmembers of society.<\/p>\n
Riswanda said that the death penalty for corruptors should be
\nmandated even for senior officials, including cabinet ministers
\nand president.<\/p>\n
The idea also won cautious support from Muhammad Assegaf, a
\nlawyer who is also an Assembly member from the interest group
\nfaction.<\/p>\n
\"An official involved in serious corruption and theft from the
\npeople deserves the punishment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Assegaf's fellow Assembly member from the interest group,
\nNursyahbani Katjasungkana said that the country was in need of
\nshock therapy to deter corruption.<\/p>\n
\"What we have to do now is to revise the laws to include the
\ndeath penalty,\" Nursyahbani said.<\/p>\n
But not everybody is happy about the PBB proposal. J.E.
\nSahetapy, a legislator from the largest faction, the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) is one.<\/p>\n
Sahetapy is one of those against the death penalty for
\ncorruption, believing that it is not only against humanity but
\nalso not an effective way to deter would-be criminals.<\/p>\n
\"In the era of president Soeharto, there was Petrus
\n(mysterious killing). But it was not effective,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/death-penalty-for-corruptors-why-not-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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