Commission XIII DPR: The Court of the Sea Dragon Drug Case Must Adhere to High Humanism and Healthy Reason

JAKARTA - Chairman of Commission XIII of the DPR, Willy Aditya, highlighted the serious case of drug smuggling by the Sea Dragon Ship which was revealed at the Tanjung Balai Karimun port. The reason is that there are workers who have only been working as ABK for a few days who are threatened with the death penalty, while the brains and big businessmen behind this event are still walking around without a touch.

Willy emphasized that it was important for the court to comprehensively examine the involvement of each of the alleged perpetrators or suspects.

According to him, everyone in a legal event has a single role that is not the same as the other. This must be revealed first.

"It is difficult to digest common sense if everyone is charged with the death penalty without clarity of role. Moreover, this case only catches the small fish. We must not be too easy to impose the death penalty, especially without seeing the details of the incident. Justice is not only about obeying the rules but also has humanity and common sense," Willy told reporters, Tuesday, February 24.

Highlighting the 6 people who are now defendants, the head of the Commission which deals with human rights urges the court to also examine the existing power relations. According to Willy, in the absence of a number of major actors who should also be examined, the decision on the current defendants must be very careful.

"Where is the owner of Sea Dragon, the owner of MP North Star, the brain behind the transfer of goods in the middle of the sea, the recruiter of ABK. This reveals the dark side of shipping, which is often used by the drug mafia to recruit a shield for their business life. Will our court ignore this dark situation? I think not," he said.

Willy said that the 2023 Criminal Code does not necessarily mean that the death penalty verdict is immediately executed. However, according to him, imposing the death penalty on crocodiles will never contribute to good quality in reducing drug crime.

"Look at the list of defendants, some are just lowly workers, others are their superiors, or foreign recruits (Thailand). But they are all charged with the same charges. This needs to be tested for its role, and the big actors are pursued until it is completed. Don't let it become a precedent in the future," he said.

The NasDem legislator from the East Java XI constituency also emphasized that in handling drug cases, the hammer of punishment often moves easily for small perpetrators, even those who are also victims. However, it is very difficult to swing the verdict for the big perpetrators.

"Our prison is full of drug convicts. When detailed, the majority are users, intermediaries, and the like. Only a few are big dealers. The momentum of the arrest of Sea Dragon is very good for pursuing big drug dealers," he said.

Willy hopes that the eyes of the court will be able to see into the dark rooms of the Sea Dragon incident. Thus, according to him, the punishment will be felt as a correction for the general public, and a correction for the perpetrator.

"Commission XIII will continue to monitor this case, I hope that people who have information and good ability can monitor it together," he concluded.