Mahfud MD states that capturing corruptors who flee abroad is not difficult

Mataram (ANTARA) - Constitutional law expert Mahfud MD has emphasised that capturing corruptors who flee to foreign countries is not a difficult legal matter, as the state possesses sufficient instruments to hunt them down and extradite them. He made this statement while addressing the case of a suspect in an alleged money laundering or TPPU offence worth Rp189 trillion who escaped and died abroad. “It should be possible (to capture them), but due to diplomatic manoeuvres, officials, and laws (the case dragged on until the perpetrator died),” said Mahfud during a public lecture titled “Actualisation of Just, Ethical, and Environmentally Aware Islamic Economics within the Framework of the Indonesian Constitution” at UIN Mataram campus in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday. He explained that weak consistency in law enforcement and the tug-of-war of interests often become the main obstacles in efforts to bring corruptors back to Indonesia. In many cases, Mahfud added, corruption perpetrators frequently receive protection and exploit loopholes to avoid legal snares. The case of the Rp189 trillion TPPU suspect who died while fleeing abroad caused the matter to lapse. “The amount is Rp189 trillion. This is indeed a matter of law enforcement, not the system, not the theory,” said Mahfud, who handled the case while serving as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs. Based on previous reports, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed that the suspect in the TPPU case, Siman Bahar, died in China. He was ensnared in a case of processing illegal gold into legal products through various companies. Currently, the KPK is preparing to issue a letter of order to halt the investigation or SP3 against Siman Bahar alias Bong Kin Phin. The anti-corruption agency requires a death certificate and several other documents before the SP3 can be issued.