Members Of The House Of Representatives: Discussion Of The LPSK Bill Needs To Be Accelerated

JAKARTA - Member of Commission XIII of the House of Representatives, Prince Khairul Saleh, assessed that the discussion on the Revision of Law Number 13 of 2006 concerning the Protection of Witnesses and Victims (RUU PSK) needs to be accelerated. Because according to the Prince, the protection provided so far is still symbolic and does not fully answer the real needs in the field.

"We face increasingly complex legal challenges from gender-based violence, gross human rights violations, to transnational and digital crimes. This situation requires a new approach in the witness and victim protection system," Prince told reporters, Friday, September 19.

Pangeran emphasized that the revision of this law must provide a restorative justice approach. According to him, protection is not enough to only provide a safe place or identity confidentiality, but must include psychological, social, and economic recovery of victims.

"We want the victim to no longer feel neglected or even become merely evidence. This revision must ensure that the victim is protected as a legal subject who has dignity, not only part of the procedure," said the member of the Working Committee for the Witness and Victim Protection Bill.

Pangeran said there were many urgent changes that needed to be made in the LPSK Bill. Starting from strengthening implementing institutions such as LPSK in terms of authority, operational capacity, to the ability to make quick decisions in the field.

"Too many legal cases have been hampered due to delays in protection, or due to confusion over the limits of authority between law enforcement officials and protection agencies," he said.

The prince also highlighted the need for an update to the safe house concept which has not been maximized so far. He emphasized the importance of technically protecting the identity of witnesses and victims through technology-based systems.

"Witness testimony or victims should not be used as the only evidence, because this opens up potential pressure or manipulation from various parties during the legal process," Pangeran explained.

In the institutional context, Pangeran said that separation of the function of protection and law enforcement needs to be done so that LPSK is not trapped in slices of investigation interests that can affect the independence of protection.

"We must dare to say that the protection of victims and witnesses is not a complement, but the main pillar in building civilized legal justice," said the legislator from the South Kalimantan I electoral district.

"Our legal system will lose legitimacy if witnesses and victims feel more afraid of legal proceedings than against the perpetrators of the crime themselves," Prince continued.

Pangeran added that the involvement of civil society and advocacy institutions in the process of drafting the Witness and Victim Protection Bill also needs to be considered. "We in the DPR, especially Commission XIII, are very open to all inputs. This is not just a matter of bureaucracy, this is a matter of humanity," he explained.

"We cannot draw up regulations in closed spaces without hearing the voices of survivors, activists, and experts who have been struggling directly in the field," Prince concluded.

As is known, the Witness and Victim Protection Bill is being discussed by Commission XIII of the DPR. In its discussion, Commission XIII of the DPR has invited a number of parties such as LPSK, Dirtipidum Bareskrim Polri, Jampidum AGO, and Junior Registrar Pidsus MA.

The bill, which is included in the DPR Prolegnas, also aims to strengthen the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK).