Indonesia's DPR Advances Asset Forfeiture Bill Amidst Concerns

The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) is currently engaged in discussions surrounding the Asset Forfeiture Bill, with Deputy Speaker Sari Yuliati clarifying that reports of its rejection circulating on social media are false.

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We need to convey that the Asset Forfeiture Bill is included in the list of priority Prolegnas 2026.

Sari Yuliati stated that Commission III of the DPR, the body responsible for deliberating the bill, is conducting public hearings to ensure meaningful participation in the legislative process. The Asset Forfeiture Bill is included in the 2026 priority list of legislative programs (Prolegnas).

The bill has a long and complex history, first proposed in 2008 but facing significant opposition. It was reintroduced in the Prolegnas in 2015 but saw no progress until 2020. Subsequent attempts to include it in the Prolegnas for 2021 and 2022 were also unsuccessful, with the DPR and government citing focus on more urgent legislation like the Capital City Bill and the Sexual Violence Crimes Bill.

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Commission III of the DPR, as the committee tasked with discussing the Asset Forfeiture Bill, is still conducting public hearings to fulfill the principle of meaningful participation in the law-making process.

In a plenary session on December 25, 2022, the DPR finally agreed to include the Asset Forfeiture Bill in the 2023 Prolegnas. However, its discussion has been challenging, with the bill being referred to as 'hot potato' within Commission III and the Legislation Body, requiring approval from political party chairpersons. Despite these hurdles, the DPR asserted in 2025 that the bill's discussion was necessary as it represents a public demand that must be accommodated.

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The Asset Forfeiture Bill is known as a 'hot potato' in Commission III and the Legislation Body, requiring the approval of the Chairpersons of political parties to discuss it.

On September 9, 2025, eight political party factions in the DPR agreed to prioritize the Asset Forfeiture Bill for 2026. Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas indicated this decision stemmed from negotiations between President Prabowo Subianto and party leaders. A report by Majalah Tempo in February 2024 highlighted concerns among party leaders about the bill's potential for abuse of power by law enforcement, particularly Article 2, which allows for non-conviction-based asset forfeiture (NCB).

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Concerns exist among party leaders regarding this bill. The Asset Forfeiture Bill in the report has the potential for abuse of authority by law enforcement officials, because Article 2 in the third draft version of this bill regulates the norm of non-conviction-based asset forfeiture (NCB) or asset forfeiture can be carried out without having to go through a criminal process.