Komnas HAM proposes independent body to manage corruption assets

The Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is advocating for the creation of an independent asset recovery body to manage assets seized from corruption offenders. This proposal is a key recommendation stemming from Komnas HAM's study on corruption and its links to human rights violations.

“

We are pushing for the establishment of an independent asset management body to handle the assets resulting from corruption crimes.

Commissioner Uli Parulian Sihombing explained that the current system is sectoral, with the police, prosecutor's office, and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) each managing their recovered assets through separate internal bodies. Komnas HAM believes an integrated, independent entity, ideally situated outside existing law enforcement institutions like the police, prosecutor's office, and Supreme Court, is necessary for optimal management.

“

The management of assets resulting from corruption is currently still sectoral because it is managed separately by each law enforcement agency.

This initiative aligns with the ongoing discussions surrounding the Asset Confiscation Bill. Komnas HAM hopes that such an independent body could maximize state revenue from confiscated assets while ensuring their value is preserved. Sihombing pointed to the massive illegal tin mining corruption case in Bangka Belitung, which resulted in state losses exceeding Rp200 trillion, as an example where effective asset recovery has failed to materialize, particularly in addressing the community's right to a healthy environment.

“

The independent asset recovery body should indeed be outside law enforcement.

The commission emphasizes that recognizing corruption as a human rights violation is crucial, especially in light of cases where victims' rights have not been adequately restored. The proposed independent body aims to rectify this by providing a more cohesive and effective approach to asset management in corruption cases.

“

But to date, there has been no recovery that guarantees the rights of the community to a good and healthy environment in that area.