Singapore Embassy responds<\/p>\n
I refer to the article Extradition talks and Singapore's
\nlectures by Abdillah Toha published in The Jakarta Post on March
\n1.<\/p>\n
It is puzzling how Abdillah Toha came to the conclusion that
\nthe recently held negotiations between Singapore and Indonesian
\nofficials on the extradition treaty issue \" did not yield much\".
\nBoth the Indonesian and Singapore governments are pleased with
\nthe progress of the extradition treaty negotiations.<\/p>\n
At a joint press conference in Singapore on Feb. 15 during the
\nstate visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Prime Minister
\nLee Hsien Loong reaffirmed Singapore's commitment to conclude an
\nextradition treaty with Indonesia expeditiously.<\/p>\n
More recently, Indonesia's foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda
\nwas quoted by the Indonesian media on Feb. 22 as stating that the
\nmeetings on the extradition treaty to date have \"gone on
\nsmoothly\" and that \"both sides have shown commitment to solving
\nthe issue\".<\/p>\n
Abdillah's lecture that Singapore is dragging its feet on the
\nextradition treaty because it has vested economic interests in
\nprotecting so-called \"corruptors\" is baseless and shows a lack of
\nunderstanding of the issues. There are many complexities involved
\nin negotiating an extradition treaty between Singapore and
\nIndonesia. For example, a detailed list of extraditable crimes
\nwould have to be agreed upon, including terrorism related
\noffenses.<\/p>\n
Extradition can be in either direction. President Susilo has
\ntold the media that an extradition treaty could not be concluded
\n\"overnight\". President Susilo has also pointed out that some
\ncountries have taken as long as eight years to conclude
\nextradition treaties with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Abdillah is wrong to think that an extradition treaty is the
\nonly legal recourse available to the Indonesian government. Even
\nwithout such a treaty, Indonesia has recourse through the
\nSingapore legal system. In the 1990s, the Indonesian government
\nsuccessfully undertook civil legal action through the Singapore
\ncourts in the Pertamina-Tahir case.<\/p>\n
Singapore and Indonesia have also signed on to the ASEAN
\nMutual Legal Assistance Treaty, which provides another avenue. If
\nAbdillah has evidence of \"billions of dollars stolen from
\nIndonesia (which) are now deposited in Singapore banks\", he
\nshould produce it.<\/p>\n
Singapore supports the effort by the Indonesian government to
\neradicate corruption and hopes that an extradition treaty would
\nhelp. However, we are relieved to read Abdillah agreeing that the
\n\"extradition treaty (alone) would not break the chain of
\ncorruption activities.\"<\/p>\n
ADRIAN CHUNG
\nFirst Secretary (Political)
\nSingapore Embassy
\nJakarta<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/singapore-embassy-responds-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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