After Abolition And Amnesty: Rehabilitation Of Ira Puspadewi Called Prabowo's Intervention Pattern Against The Law

Former ASDP President Director, Ira Puspadewi (Photo: Antara/Muhammad Adimaja/Tom)

JAKARTA - A constitutional law expert from Andalas University, Ferri Amsari, said President Prabowo Subianto should not make room to forgive the perpetrators of corruption.

The granting of rehabilitation to former Director of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero), Ira Puspadewi and two other former directors is considered a form of intervention that is too far away. Moreover, this is not the first forgiveness given by the head of state to perpetrators of corruption.

Meanwhile, Prabowo had stopped the process of handling cases through abolition to the former Minister of Trade Thomas Trikasih Lembong alias Tom Lembong in a case of alleged corruption related to the importation of raw crystal sugar and amnesty for PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto in the alleged bribery case at the interim replacement (PAW) of the DPR RI.

"If you look at most presidents in a year using his authority, he forgives people who undergo a fairly large legal process and that seems to be trying to intervene in the law too far away," Ferri told reporters quoted on Friday, November 28.

Instead of intervening, Ferri said, Prabowo should improve the performance of law enforcement officers (APH) such as the Police, the Attorney General's Office to the KPK. Because, they are all under the executive scope.

"Investigating a law like this can be a very bad step for the rule of law. It must be remembered that Indonesia is a state of law, not a country of president," he said.

As previously reported, President Prabowo Subianto signed the granting of rehabilitation for three parties involved in the legal case of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry. They are Ira Puspadewi as former Director of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry; former Director of Planning and Development of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry, Harry Muhammad Adhi Caksono, and former Commercial and Service Director of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry.

The decision was conveyed by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad in a press statement with Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya at the Presidential office, Jakarta, Tuesday, November 25.

"From the results of communication with the government, thank God there are today, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Prabowo Subianto has signed a letter of rehabilitation for the three names," he said.

Ira Puspadewi et al are known to have been found guilty in the corruption case of the acquisition and business cooperation (KSU) of PT Jembatan Nusantara by PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry. He was later sentenced to 4.5 years and a fine of IDR 500 million by the Jakarta Corruption Court.

Meanwhile, the former Director of Planning and Development of PT ASDP, Harry Muhammad Adhi Caksono, and former Director of Commercial and Services of PT ASDP, Muhammad Yusuf Hadi was sentenced to 4 years and a fine of Rp250 million. They were found guilty and committed corruption together as the second alternative indictment Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999.