DPR Accepts Sera And Afif Early Family Audiences, Observers Advise All Commissions To Open Complaint Posts

Public hearing with Dini's family attorney, Sera Afrianti, who was a victim of persecution to death/PHOTO: Nailin In Saroh-VOI

JAKARTA - The House of Representatives' Legal Commission has recently received many complaints from the people who are suspected of being victims of legal fraud. Members of Commission III of the House of Representatives are considered to be serving as public advocates through their supervisory functions.

"Members of the DPR are actually representatives of the people. So if the DPR Law Commission receives many people's hearings who are victims of law OR authority from the authorities, then follow up with the power they have, they have become advocates' of the people because they carry out their supervisory functions," said Criminal Law Observer from Trisakti University, Abdul Fickar Hadjar, Tuesday, August 6.

On Monday, July 29, 2024, Commission III of the DPR received an audience with the Dini family of Sera Afrianti after the polemic of the Surabaya District Court judge's decision to release the defendant and the son of a former DPR member, Gregorius Ronald Tannur. Dini was tortured to death by Ronald Tannur in October 2023, and the video of his abuse even went viral.

A week later, Monday, August 5, 2024, the House of Representatives' Legal Commission also received an audience with Afif Maulana's family, a teenage boy who died allegedly due to abuse by police officers in Padang, West Sumatra.

"If every week Commission III of the DPR continues to accept the audience of the people who are victims of criminalization, then follow up until the people get justice, believe me that public trust in the DPR is not something that is difficult to achieve," said Fickar.

Moreover, said Fickar, if the member of the DPR RI continues to raise the issue in the public sphere. Either through mass media or social media owned by the legislators.

"So if the DPR member also puts pressure on the public through his social media after the hearing was held, it means that the audience that has been held is not just a formality. But there really is a desire from the DPR member to voice the interests of the people," he explained.

Moreover, said Fickar, the Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, had also said 'no viral no justice'. This means that if it is deemed to have to go viral so that the people get justice, there is nothing wrong with the members of the DPR helping to go viral, along with the supervisory function carried out.

"This means that Puan asks DPR members not only to respond to what is viral in the community, but also to give freedom to the people's representatives to participate in neutralizing cases that sacrifice the people. In this case, Puan really deserves appreciation," said Fickar.

Fickar gave suggestions, each board equipment (AKD) created a complaint post so that the aspirations of the people can really be accepted as in the case of Commission III of the DPR. Fickar also said that it would make the people feel truly defended by the council.

"It is better for the DPR to create complaint posts according to their respective fields as a shelter for the aspirations of the people to then be open to being advocated by each member according to their commission field," suggested Fickar.

As reported, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, discussed the jargon 'no viral no justice' in her closing speech at the DPR plenary meeting, last Thursday, July 11. Puan revealed a phenomenon in which people prefer to go viral to the problem rather than report it to law enforcement officials.

"When the country is late or feels they don't respond to how it should be, the people take their own initiative which is currently being carried out by going viral on social media. No viral no justice," said Puan at Nusantara II Building, Parliament Complex.

Therefore, Puan hopes that the DPR can provide a solution to the public's unrest. According to him, the people consider the DPR as the bearer of the constitutional mandate to carry out the sovereignty of the people.

"Various problems faced by the people are increasingly needed by the state," he said.

Puan said there is great people's trust in state power, both in the executive, legislative, and judicial institutions. He urged that the branches of power can work well while serving the people.

"The DPR RI has a high commitment to be able to meet people's expectations through the functions of the DPR RI," said Puan.