Respect for the law

Respect for the law

Disrespect for the law in Indonesia has become clearer. In the last two days law enforcers have made efforts to uphold the law appear feeble.

The police arrested governor-elect of Lampung Alzier Dianis Thabrani for criminal acts he had allegedly committed before he passed the mandatory test. Alzier also participated in public debate before he was elected governor.

The second case involved leader of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) Habib Rizieq, who had just made the police work harder. Habib had reportedly gone abroad, despite his house arrest over the ransacking of several nightspots in Jakarta. Days after his "trip" abroad he was apprehended by police at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta and had to spend the night in a city police cell. However, while about to be transported to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, a large number of FPI members intercepted the convoy and took him to FPI headquarters in Petamburan, West Jakarta.

The two cases are blatant examples of deteriorating respect for the law. Law enforcers have left the law in a gray position, instead of black or white.

The law must respect the rights of a suspect or defendant. The law must also be firm enough to say black is black and white is white. There is no way that the law can be left in a gray area.

The cases of Alzier and Habib are a warning to law enforcers that the law must be properly respected and upheld. If the law enforcers -- the police and prosecutors -- always operate in the gray area, the law will never be upheld and respected properly. And finally, the country would be left in danger.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta