Dasco: House of Representatives Has Begun Drafting Asset Forfeiture Bill

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has announced that Commission III of the House has begun drafting the academic paper for the Asset Forfeiture Bill.

“Commission III of the House is currently conducting problem identification and is in the process of drafting the academic paper and the bill,” Dasco said, as quoted by Antara on Monday (23/2).

According to him, this is in line with the House’s previous commitment that the Asset Forfeiture Bill would begin to be processed after the House completed the Criminal Code (KUHP) and the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).

“It will also be compiled alongside the Anti-Corruption Law,” said the House leader who oversees political, legal and security affairs.

To that end, Dasco said the House would soon hold public consultations for the drafting of the Asset Forfeiture Bill before it proceeds to the deliberation stage.

“Once that is completed, we will also promptly follow up with the Domestic Workers Protection Law (PPRT) and the Manpower Bill,” he said.

Previously, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) expressed its support for the deliberation of the Asset Forfeiture Bill by the government and the House of Representatives.

“The presence of this regulation will be a strategic step forward in strengthening the legal framework for combating corruption, particularly to ensure the optimisation of state financial loss recovery,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to journalists in Jakarta on Sunday (22/2).

He explained that the KPK supports the Asset Forfeiture Bill because in the anti-graft body’s law enforcement practice, the focus has not only been on imposing custodial sentences on corruption offenders but also on recovering state financial losses as an integral part of the criminal justice system.