Fandi the Crew Member Case: DPR Says Don't Just Pursue the 'Small Fish' with the Death Penalty
Chairman of Commission XIII of the DPR RI, Willy Aditya, criticized the death penalty sought for Fandi Ramadhan, a crew member of the Sea Dragon, in connection with the smuggling of 2 tons of crystal methamphetamine in the waters of Tanjung Balai Karimun. Willy believes that the enforcement of the law in the case of crew member Fandi is still uneven because it only targets lower-level perpetrators, while the intellectual actors behind it have not been touched.
Willy emphasized that the court must examine the role of each defendant comprehensively before handing down a verdict. He doubts the logic of the law that equates the death penalty for all crew members, including low-level workers who have only been working for a few days.
“It is difficult for common sense to accept that everyone is sentenced to death without any clarity of role. Moreover, this case only caught the small fish. Justice is not just about obeying the rules, but there is humanity and common sense,” said Willy in a statement, Tuesday (February 24, 2026).
This politician from the NasDem Party faction urged the court to trace the power relations in the case. He questioned the existence of the owner of the Sea Dragon ship, the owner of the MP North Star, and the recruiters of the crew members who have not been examined so far.
Willy believes that the crew members are often only used as shields by international drug cartels. According to him, the dark side of the shipping industry should not be ignored by the panel of judges in making decisions.
“Where are the ship owners and the masterminds behind the transfer of goods in the middle of the sea? This reveals the dark side of shipping that is often used by the mafia to recruit living shields for its business. Will our courts ignore such a situation? I don’t think so,” he said.
Willy also alluded to the spirit of the New Criminal Code which places the death penalty as a last resort. According to him, imposing the maximum penalty on perpetrators at the lower operational level will not have a significant impact on combating drug trafficking in Indonesia.
He noted an imbalance in the list of defendants, where low-level workers to superiors from Thailand are sentenced to the same penalty.
“Our prisons are already full of drug convicts, most of whom are users or intermediaries. Very few are big bosses. The arrest of the Sea Dragon should be a gateway to pursuing the big bosses, not just cutting off the chain below,” he added.
Furthermore, Willy said that his party would monitor the trial of the Sea Dragon case to ensure that the principle of justice is fulfilled. Willy hopes that the judge’s decision will later reveal the root of the problem and be a correction for the drug law enforcement system in the country.
“We will continue to monitor this case. I hope the public will also monitor it so that the court really reveals the facts to the root,” he concluded. (H-3)