Singapore-Indonesia extradition treaty a double-edged sword

The Straits Times, April 27, 2007

The following is an editorial that appeared in Indonesia's Kompas newspaper yesterday



THE long process of discussing the extradition treaty between Indonesia and Singapore has been completed. The treaty will be signed by the leaders of the two countries today.

We, Indonesia, indeed are very enthusiastic about this extradition treaty. We urge that the treaty be settled and agreed upon as soon as possible because we feel that it is vital for us to resolve legal issues, especially in connection with corruption criminals who are reported to be hiding in Singapore.

All this while, it has been said that many Indonesian businessmen involved in corruption cases have fled to Singapore. They not only hide there but also bring their money to be stored over there.

We do not hide the fact that we need the extradition treaty as a legal platform to take action. However, we also want to remind that the extradition treaty is not the only answer to resolving the problem. What is far more important is how far the legal system in our country can be upheld without discrimination.

All this while, we have looked for black sheep very easily. When we are not able to uphold the law, we don't try to find out why the law doesn't work, but we look for other reasons.

The extradition treaty will not mean much if we are not able to firmly uphold the law. When we are unable to decide if a person is guilty or not, then it is impossible that we request extradition. On the basis of human rights, a person accused of a criminal act surely will raise objections and ask that the criminal procedure go through the Singapore court.

The experience so far is that the process is not short. In the court session, all pieces of evidence have to be presented. What is going to happen if they who are accused of criminal acts reveal all the ugliness of our legal system and possibly our officials?

Right now, we see something like that happening in the legal process faced by former maritime and fisheries minister Rokhmin Dahuri. We see how corruption practices are usual and how so many parties from the Department of Maritime and Fisheries are benefiting from corrupt practices.

Certainly, we have no objections to having all the ugliness brought to the surface so that we can know who exactly are those who have all along enjoyed the stalling of law enforcement in this country.

We just want to warn that the main aim of signing the extradition treaty may not be reached in the end. We may not arrest the corrupt criminals and may not even take the money they have stored in Singapore. On the contrary, we can only be disgraced.

The extradition treaty that will be signed in Bali on Friday is a double-edged sword.

We hope that Singapore does not laugh at us because we are still unable to uphold the law. On the contrary, we should be increasingly spurred on to straighten ourselves out and be firm in upholding the law in our country.



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NEED TO UPHOLD THE LAW

The extradition treaty will not mean much if we are not able to firmly uphold the law. When we are unable to decide if a person is guilty or not, then it is impossible that we request extradition.