MUI Affirms Corruptors Deserve the Death Penalty

The Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), KH Anwar Iskandar, has stated that corruptors are human rights violators because the impact of corruption can impoverish people and even eliminate the right to life for many. On this basis, the MUI continues to maintain its proposal that corruptors be sentenced to death. Kiai Anwar said the MUI has long proposed the death penalty for corruptors because they violate the right to life of many people. “How many people have died because of corruptors, how many people have become poor because of corruptors? From the MUI’s studies, we have long proposed the death penalty for corruptors,” Kiai Anwar told Republika at the National Legal Mudzakaroh and Law Enforcement Appreciation event for the Poor and Needy, Thursday (2/6/2026). Regarding voices opposing the death penalty for corruptors on human rights grounds, Kiai Anwar explained that in the Islamic perspective, human rights are not absolute. “When something is done in the name of human rights but then contradicts human rights itself, that cannot be accepted,” he said. He explained that if a corrupt act impacts and kills millions of people, does that not also violate human rights? If an official commits corruption worth trillions of rupiah, the resulting harm affects so many people, meaning the corruptor violates human rights. “According to Islam, human rights are important but not absolute; there is something more absolute called Hifdzun Nafs, which is part of the maqashid sharia to protect life,” Kiai Anwar said. It is noted that transactions related to corruption in Indonesia throughout 2024 reached Rp 984 trillion. This figure dominated the total of Rp 1,459.64 trillion in criminal transaction nominal values traced by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) from January to December 2024. PPATK Head Ivan Yustiavandana stated that increasingly complex crimes require a strengthened prevention and enforcement system. Ivan said that over 23 years of the National Anti-Money Laundering Movement, collaboration with all parties has successfully traced fund flows related to various criminal acts and money laundering crimes. “Such as massive online gambling networks, illegal investments, human trafficking, environmental crimes, and financial crimes that harm thousands of victims,” Ivan said during the commemoration of the 23rd National Anti-Money Laundering Movement in Jakarta, Wednesday (23/4/2025). According to Ivan, the national money laundering risk assessment found that corruption is the largest predicate crime. “And the state must give primary focus to strengthening the eradication of this crime,” he said in a press release. From PPATK reports throughout 2024, he said, the nominal value of transactions identified as criminal acts was Rp 1,459,646,282,207,290. “And transactions related to suspected corruption had the largest value, with a total nominal transaction of Rp 984 trillion,” Ivan said. The next largest transaction value reached Rp 301 trillion related to tax crimes, followed by Rp 68 trillion related to gambling and Rp 9.75 trillion related to narcotics. In his report, Ivan also revealed his estimate of the significance of money circulation related to online gambling throughout 2025. In 2024, he said, the total circulation of online gambling money reached Rp 981 trillion. “Based on the data, during 2025 the circulation of online gambling funds is estimated to reach Rp 1,200 trillion,” Ivan said.