Legislator Rejects MUI's Call for Death Penalty for Corruptors
Benny K Harman, a member of House Commission III from the Democratic Party faction, disagrees with the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which is pushing for the death penalty for corruptors. He believes the death penalty is not a solution to eradicating corruption.
“The death penalty is not a solution,” said Benny K Harman when contacted on Thursday (6/8/2026).
Benny views a better solution as restoring the KPK to an independent institution. He also proposes that the KPK become the sole institution authorised to investigate corruption.
“The solution is that the KPK must truly become an independent institution, by restoring the KPK’s position to what it was before the revision. And the KPK should ideally become the only institution given the authority to eradicate corruption,” he said.
Benny also noted that eradicating corruption and asset forfeiture are two different matters. He said asset forfeiture is needed to recover what has been stolen by corruptors.
“The agenda of eradicating corruption and asset forfeiture are two different matters. The Asset Forfeiture Law is needed so that assets resulting from corruption and/or assets used as instruments for corruption can be seized for the benefit of the state,” he said.
He also proposed that a new autonomous and independent body be established under the Asset Forfeiture Bill. This body, he said, need not be part of the KPK or the Attorney General’s Office.
“This body should consist of renowned legal experts of integrity to ensure that assets resulting from corruption and/or assets used as instruments for corruption can be seized and sold, with the proceeds becoming state revenue,” he said.
The MUI is urging the government and the House of Representatives to implement the death penalty for corruptors. In addition to accommodating the public’s pressing demands, this would also serve as firm legal action given that corruption in Indonesia has reached an emergency stage and become a subject of widespread discussion.
“We are always in discussion. Some time ago, Mr Yusril (Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections) came to the MUI to discuss two matters: the death penalty and LGBT law. We are always discussing these,” said MUI Deputy Chairman KH M Cholil Nafis, as quoted from MUI Digital and reported by detikhikmah on Wednesday (5/8).
The MUI affirmed that it continues to communicate and discuss with the government regarding law enforcement, including the discussion of severe sanctions for crimes that damage the state order.
Kiai Cholil, as he is familiarly known, believes that law enforcement in Indonesia must consider common sense and common opinion developing within society. When the public broadly recognises that corruption has destroyed the nation’s future and impoverished the people, the MUI believes the state must not turn a blind eye.
“The large number of arrests is not a success in eradicating corruption, but rather shows the failure of corruption eradication. Because people are not afraid and people are not deterred,” he explained.
Responding to public discourse that often pits the death penalty against impoverishment, the MUI believes both measures should run in parallel. Kiai Cholil explained that asset forfeiture is the state’s obligation to reclaim the people’s wealth stolen by corruptors.
“So there should be no dichotomy that the death penalty is applied without seizing wealth. Once they are dead, the state’s wealth is returned. Both are actually needed: asset forfeiture, yes, and if it causes systemic problems or state destruction, the death penalty should be applied,” he asserted.