Scholar demands equal treatment for inmates
JAKARTA (JP): The recent findings by Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman of discriminative treatment of inmates at the Cipinang penitentiary has strengthened earlier reports of irregularities inside the correctional institution.
Oetojo found on a recent impromptu visit to the penitentiary in East Jakarta that businessman Eddy Tansil received preferential treatment. He found a color TV set and a fan in the cell of the former Golden Key Group boss, who is serving a 20- year jail term.
Eddy was convicted of siphoning off Rp 1.3 trillion (US$620 million) in loans from state-owned Bapindo bank between 1989 and 1994.
Legal observer of the Hasanuddin University in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, Andi Muis, said the minister's finding shows that prison officials discriminate against inmates.
"I guess there was collusion between Eddy and the Cipinang prison officials that enabled Eddy to get such facilities," Andi told The Jakarta Post in a telephone interview yesterday.
He, however, insisted that the finding should be followed by legal action, including investigation and prosecution against the guilty parties.
"If the alleged collusion is proven to be true, the guilty officials should be punished, administratively and lawfully, while Eddy could be charged with criminal charges," he said.
Meanwhile, head of the Cipinang penitentiary Mintardjo denied there was any preferential treatment of Eddy Tansil by prison officials.
"It is true that we put inmates in groups. But we treat all inmates equally," he said.
He cited an example of how political prisoners are housed separately from other inmates. He mentioned H.R. Dharsono, Soebandrio and Omar Dhani, who were kept in separate cells during their prison terms at Cipinang.
"We cannot put Eddy Tansil with hardened criminals like thieves or murderers. It would be too dangerous for him," he explained.
He also said it was not him who put Eddy in a separate cell.
"Eddy was already in a separate cell when I was appointed chief of the penitentiary in August 1995," he said.
Andi, however, said that Eddy having a private cell was not acceptable.
"Eddy has to be put in a cell with other inmates," he said.
"The prison regulation stipulates that a prison cell has to be shared, doesn't it?" he asked.
He said Dharsono, Soebandrio and Omar Dhani were given special rooms because of their ages.
"All of them were put with other inmates when they were younger," he said.
Oetojo's visit to the penitentiary at midnight caught the institution's officials, including its director Mintardjo, off guard. The minister was accompanied only by his driver.
Oetojo immediately asked Mintardjo to remove the TV set and fan from Eddy's cell.
He pointed out that the practice of giving special treatment to certain inmates could give rise to jealousy among other inmates.
Mintardjo, however, said there had been no jealousy among the inmates, saying that Eddy has contributed a lot to the renovation of the penitentiary's mosque, church, and other inmates' rooms. (imn)