DPR hopes that prisons will be free of drugs after 1,882 high-risk prisoners were sent to Nusa Kambangan

Member of Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Mafirion, supports the steps taken by the Directorate General of Corrections of the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (Kemenimipas) which sent 1,882 high-risk prisoners to Nusai Kambangan Island, Cilacap, Central Java, throughout 2025.

He hopes that this policy can suppress the circulation of drugs which are still rampant in correctional institutions (prisons).

"We support the steps taken by the Minister of Imipas to send thousands of high-risk prisoners to Nusa Kambangan. We hope that this policy will be able to suppress, even eliminate, the circulation of drugs in prisons, which have been frequent," Mafirion told reporters in Jakarta, Tuesday, December 30.

According to Mafirion, the circulation of drugs inside the prison is already at a worrying level. Mafirion said that prisons should be places of education and rehabilitation, but instead often turn into a center for controlling the narcotics network.

"This is a serious alarm for our correctional system. If it is not handled firmly and measured, prisons will continue to be part of the problem, not the solution," he said.

Mafirion assessed that the transfer of high-risk prisoners to Nusa Kambangan was not without reason. This island is known as an area with the highest level of security in Indonesia, has a maximum super prison with strict supervision, limited access, and a control system that is more difficult to penetrate by criminal networks, including drug networks.

He assessed that the geographical condition of Nusa Kambangan, which is separated from the main land, is effective in breaking the illegal communication of prisoners with networks outside the prison.

"The placement of high-risk prisoners must be carried out in a location that is truly capable of controlling the risk. Nusa Kambangan has special characteristics, namely layered security, strict supervision, and limited access, which makes it more ideal for accommodating prisoners with a high level of threat," he said.

However, Mafirion reminded that the transfer of prisoners alone is not enough. He emphasized the importance of strict law enforcement against prison officers involved in drug trafficking.

"This effort must be accompanied by firm action. If there are officers who are proven to be involved, they must be fired and given the maximum punishment. There must be no tolerance or forgiveness, because they have abused the trust and authority of the state," said Mafirion.

This Riau-based legislator hopes that the policy of sending high-risk prisoners to Nusa Kambangan can be a turning point in improving the national penitentiary system. "The ultimate goal is clear, namely the prison must be completely free of drugs and return to its main function as a place of education," he said.

Previously reported, as many as 1,882 high-risk inmates from various regions in Indonesia have been transferred to Nusa Kambangan. This step is expected to minimize security and order disturbances, as well as strengthen efforts to eradicate drugs in the correctional institution environment.