Gerindra Legislator Calls for Effective Prison Rehabilitation, Cites Saudi Arabian Penalties

The Deputy Chairman of Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Gerindra Faction, Sugiat Santoso, is pushing for an increased budget for the Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjen PAS). This budget strengthening is deemed necessary to enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation and the self-sufficiency of inmates.

Sugiat emphasised that state-allocated funds must be directed towards productive rehabilitation programmes, rather than simply financing the operational costs of correctional institutions (lapas). According to him, budget reinforcement must be aimed at optimising inmate rehabilitation programmes so that they can deliver a positive impact upon their return to society.

“Rehabilitation should not only focus on vocational skills training but also include personality strengthening and social assistance capabilities,” Sugilat stated in a written statement on Monday (8/6/2026).

He requested that the Directorate General of Corrections provide adequate independence skills training alongside personality guidance. This includes providing training in counselling, psychology, and appropriate assistance methods for inmates.

Sugiat also highlighted the significant amount of state budget being poured into the management of prisons. In his view, this investment must be directly proportional to a decrease in crime rates and the success of rehabilitation efforts.

“The state spends trillions of rupiah to provide facilities for prisoners who have proven to have committed crimes by building prisons and other supporting facilities. However, in reality, crime rates continue to rise and many prisons are overcapacity, even though every crime rate should ideally be decreasing,” said Sugiat.

Regarding the concept of deterrence, Sugiat also referenced the application of punishments in Saudi Arabia. He noted that the legal system there is considered to provide immediate deterrence to perpetrators of crime.

“Criminals who are imprisoned for long periods only eat and sleep without providing any positive impact to the state; the government should take inspiration from Saudi Arabia, which imposes hand amputation penalties on thieves without the need for prolonged imprisonment,” he said.

In addition to pushing for budget strengthening, Sugiat also requested that the government seek alternative funding for rehabilitation programmes outside of the state budget. He believes that the productivity of inmates needs to be increased so that they can contribute to funding their own rehabilitation needs during their sentence.

“The funds dedicated to inmates should ideally be generated by the inmates themselves without burdening the state finances,” Sugiat concluded.