After Unpad And UII, UGM Voices Mardani Maming's Freedom

Mardani H. Maming at the KPK building in Jakarta, Thursday 2 June. (Between-Aditya PP)

JAKARTA - Support again emerged for the former Regent of Tanah Bumbu, South Kalimantan (Kalsel), Mardani H Maming who was found guilty in the mining business permit case. Now, come from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) academics.

Academics of the Department of State Administration Law and the UGM Department of Business Law, Dr. Hendry Julian Noor SH, M.Kn and the UGM Legal team assessed that the evidence submitted by the public prosecutor was not strong enough to prove that there was an element of corruption.

One of the points that Hendry criticized was the application of Article 12 letter b of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor). According to him, Mardani Maming's actions are still in the corridor of his authority as regional head and do not violate applicable procedures.

"This decision is worrying because it obscures the boundaries between administrative actions and criminal acts of corruption," he said.

"There is a tendency to ensnare every public official on charges of corruption, without paying close attention to the criminal elements," continued Hendry.. Karina Dwi Nugrahatati Putri's legal expert from the UGM Faculty of Law added that there was a potential violation of legal principles in the Mardani Maming case, such as the principle of presumption of innocence.

"The burden of proof seems to be reversed, where the defendant must prove that he is innocent," said Karina.

This condition, according to experts, is a negative impact of the government's efforts to eradicate corruption aggressively without the support of an adequate surveillance system.

"Political policies that are too focused on prosecution without paying attention to legal aspects and justice can lead to prosecution mistakes," he said.

The same note also emerged in the Anti-Corruption Academics of Padjadjaran University (Unpad) who agreed to the release of Mardani Maming. The pressure arose among the statements made by the Unpad Faculty of Law academics who presented a study on the case that befell Mardani Maming at the Faculty of Law, Unpad Bandung on Friday, October 18.

The academics who presented the annotation were Dr. Sigid Suseno, SH,M.Hum, Dr. Somawijaya, SH,MH, Dr. Elis Rusmiati, SH, MH, Dr. Erika Magdalena Chandra, SH, MH, Budi Arta Atmaja, SH,MH, and Septo Ahadasmasasmita, SH,LL.

A similar opinion also emerged from the Anti-Corruption Academics of the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) asking that Mardani Maming be released after an examination of the judge's decision and findings of a mistake and judge's mistake when giving a verdict. This was conveyed by the Criminal Law Teacher at the UII Faculty of Law, Dr Mahrus Ali on Tuesday, October 22.