KPK Will Pursue Corruption Assets, Including Those In Overseas

KPK Building/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has ensured that assets belonging to corrupt perpetrators will be pursued as a form of recovering state losses. This pursuit also applies to assets that are hidden abroad.

"The search for the assets of the suspects is carried out wherever they are, including abroad if there is data and information on the alleged ownership of the perpetrators," said Acting KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement, Ali Fikri in a written statement quoted on Tuesday, March 8.

Ali said it was important to pursue assets overseas. In addition to recovering losses, this step is intended to provide a deterrent effect that does not only rely on corporal punishment.

He believes this step will not get into significant difficulties. This is because the KPK has collaborated with relevant authorities to track or trace the assets of corruptors since the handling of corruption cases was carried out.

"KPK's current policy in eradicating corruption through an enforcement strategy is not only punishing the perpetrators of corruption with imprisonment. However, efforts to optimize asset recovery through the confiscation of assets are also carried out, including demands for replacement money, fines, and confiscation of assets through the application of Money Laundering Crimes (TPPU)," he explained.

"Technically (this step, ed) of course starts from tracing the assets of the perpetrators of corruption since the initial process of handling cases begins," added Ali.

Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) in prison was not something that was feared by corruptors. There is something else that they are more afraid of, namely being impoverished.

"What the corruptors fear is not prison, but poverty. It is as if prison is not a problem for them as long as their wallets are thick, their children and wives are still living comfortably, they can still travel abroad," said Mahfud when he was a keynote speaker at the event. the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group Kick-Off event that was broadcasted on the KPK RI YouTube channel, Friday, March 4.

Seeing this condition, Mahfud then asked the KPK together with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to prevent money laundering. Moreover, he often gets reports that the perpetrators of riots often take their money abroad.

The collaboration of these two institutions, he continued, is believed to be able to help the state pursue all assets suspected of being related to corruption cases. Therefore, efforts to eradicate corruption can be said to be successful if it is accompanied by the restoration of state assets.

"The role of the KPK and the role of the financial transaction reporting and analysis center or PPATK in global collaboration is very much needed," Mahfud said.

"Returning assets resulting from criminal acts of corruption is one indicator of the success of efforts to eradicate corruption in Indonesia," he added.