Tansil's escape erodes trust in law enforcers

Tansil's escape erodes trust in law enforcers

JAKARTA (JP): Fraudulent tycoon Eddy Tansil's dramatic escape
from prison, allegedly with the help of warders, has badly dented
the public's trust in law enforcers, observers said yesterday.

They said the escape of the businessman serving a 20-year
sentence for defrauding Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) of
$620 million should prompt the government to review prison
security systems.

Ismail Hasan Metareum, chief of the United Development Party
and a deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, said
Tansil's jailbreak has further smeared the image of Indonesia's
law enforcers.

"The startling news came at a time when the public is
questioning law enforcers' integrity and independence of our
judicial system," he said.

Convicted in 1994, Tansil escaped Saturday from the Cipinang
prison -- but it was reported to Minister of Justice Oetojo
Oesman only on Tuesday. While in prison Tansil reportedly enjoyed
special treatment.

Oetojo said yesterday eight prison warders have been
questioned on suspicion they knew of the escape or colluded with
Tansil to let the 42-year-old convict walk out of the
penitentiary.

Oetojo has suspended Cipinang prison chief warden Mintardjo on
two grounds: carelessness in letting Tansil go out of the prison
and failing to promptly report on Tansil's escape.

Ismail Hasan said his party will set up a special team to
investigate the case.

Lawyer T. Mulya Lubis called the incident a "tragedy" of law
enforcement.

"It's not just the problem of the Cipinang penitentiary.
Collusion and bribery also take place in other correctional
institutions, in district courts, in the Supreme Court... This is
the result of the 'collective sins' of law enforcers, including
some defense lawyers," Lubis said.

Political will from the government to apply the rule of law is
essential in the efforts to improve the situation, he said.

Tansil's escape also provoked a strong reaction from the
Indonesian Bar Association.

Djohan Djauhari, secretary general of the Association, said
that Tansil's escape reflects weak supervision not only in the
Cipinang penitentiary but in the legal system as a whole.

"Before he escaped, there had been reports that he received
special treatment from the penitentiary officers. The authorities
should have probed the reports thoroughly and taken action
against those who gave him special treatment," Djohan told The
Jakarta Post.

Morally, the city justice office and the directorate general
of correctional affairs should be held responsible for the
escape, he said.

He urged the government to evaluate supervision in the legal
system, especially in the penitentiaries, to prevent similar
cases occurring.

Both Djohan and Lubis called for legal action against anyone
involved in Tansil's escape.

"Administrative action alone is not enough. They must be sent
to court for helping Eddy Tansil leave the prison," Lubis said.

Meanwhile, House member A.A. Oka Mahendra from the ruling
political grouping, Golkar, pointed out that Tansil's escape
shows that the security system in the Cipinang prison is highly
questionable.

He questioned why justice officials ignored calls to transfer
Tansil to the high security prison in the Nusa Kambangan Island,
Central Java, where hardcore criminals serve their jail term.

He called on the police to cooperate with their Interpol
counterparts in their efforts to recapture the owner of the
Golden Key Group.

Moestahid Astari, chief of the Golkar faction in the House,
said he strongly believed collusion was involved in the escape as
privileges for the convict have become public knowledge.

"Eddy Tansil could easily obtain dispensation to go out of the
prison. The prison warders had been too generous about
dispensation, which Eddy Tansil finally took advantage of," he
said.

Legislator Suparman Achmad, chief of the Armed Forces (ABRI)
faction in the House, said Tansil's disappearance was startling
and should provoke prison warders to tighten security.

"Our law enforcers should make total introspection," he said.

Strong reaction also came from the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI).

"His escape is worsening public's cynicism of our law
enforcers," said chief of the PDI faction at the House Fatimah
Achmad.

"The authorities should do everything possible to recapture
him, no mater how powerful his backers might be," she added.
(sim/pan)