Govt petitions for revised antigraft law
JAKARTA (JP): The government submitted to the House of Representatives on Monday a petition for the revision of the Anticorruption Law No. 31/1999, to propose shifting the burden of proof for corruption cases.
The petition, dated April 24, 2001, was signed by President Abdurrahman Wahid, who further assigned Minister of Justice and Human Rights Affairs Baharuddin Lopa to discuss the revision with the House.
"With the letter, the government would like to convey the revision of the Law No. 31/1999 on Corruption for further discussion and approval by the House of Representatives," the letter, which was read out by the House's Secretary General Sri Sumarjati, said.
The petition was read during the same House plenary session scheduled to evaluate the President's response to the House's first memorandum of censure, and consequently determine the issuance of a second memorandum of censure against the President.
President Abdurrahman, in an effort to fight rampant corruption, called for the reverse investigation system in a House plenary session on March 28, 2001, when he responded to the House's first memorandum over his alleged involvement in two financial scandals.
With the letter, the government also ended a month-long discussion regarding inclusion of the burden of proof revision within the existing law, as some had demanded that it should be stipulated in a separate law.
Under the new procedure, a suspect accused of corruption must prove that he or she has acquired money or other assets legally.
Currently, it is the prosecutors who must prove whether a defendant is guilty or not.
"The letter will be provided to the House's Consultative Body (Bamus) which will schedule a discussion with the government," Deputy House Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, who led the plenary session, said.
Indonesia has one of the highest levels of corruption in the world. So far, efforts to combat corruption have been unfruitful due to a lack of political will, loopholes in existing laws and regulations, and corrupt officials within the judiciary. (dja)