Viral Corruptor Sentences are Light, FH UMM Lecturer Says Judges Must Be More Courageous

Author : Humas | Wednesday, January 08, 2025 09:21 WIB

Tinuk Dwi Cahyani, S.H., M.Hum., Ph.D. lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Muhammadiyah Malang (Photo: Special)

One of the corruption cases that caused losses to the state amounting to more than 300 trillion has once again drawn public attention. The reason is that the perpetrator of this corruption case received a prison sentence of only 6 years and a fine of 1 billion. Tinuk Dwi Cahyani, S.H., M.Hum., Ph.D., a lecturer at the Faculty of Law (FH) Muhammadiyah Malang University, stated that the laws regarding corruption crimes in Indonesia are very clear. In fact, under certain circumstances, the death penalty could be imposed. Unfortunately, the implementation of these laws is still not perfect.

In this case, Tinuk expressed disappointment over the 6-year prison sentence, as she believes there are alternative penalties, such as life imprisonment or even the death penalty. This is outlined in the Law No. 31 of 1999, specifically in Articles 2, Paragraphs 1 and 2, regarding corruption crimes. According to her, the perpetrator of this corruption crime has caused significant harm to the state of Indonesia. Therefore, Tinuk stated that this sentence is a severe blow to the sense of justice and undermines the legal system in Indonesia.

"This should serve as a collective evaluation for law enforcement in Indonesia, so they can impose appropriate penalties on corruption perpetrators who have harmed the country. Certainly, the 6-year prison sentence given to this corruption defendant will not deter the perpetrator. I deeply regret the inadequate sentence, especially since the prosecutor's demand was also low, only 12 years. On top of that, the judge's ruling was only 6 years," she explained.

This has led to a further decline in public trust in law enforcement in Indonesia. Therefore, Tinuk stated that the role of the Judicial Commission is crucial in overseeing judges when making decisions. It is not only the responsibility of the Judicial Commission to address this issue, but also the executive and legislative branches play an important role in assisting. Particularly, it is essential to work together to monitor cases that harm the country.

"There are many cases I have encountered, such as those involving terrorism and narcotics, where judges have been brave enough to impose the death penalty on the perpetrators. However, in corruption cases, I have not found any judges who are bold enough to impose the death penalty on corruption offenders. I believe this is because the perpetrators of corruption come from influential or powerful officials in Indonesia. This may be why law enforcement officials are still reluctant to make stronger decisions," she emphasized.

Finally, Tinuk hopes that law enforcement officials in Indonesia will be more courageous in fighting for the rights of the state and the interests of the people. A courage that is not driven by personal interests, but by the duty to demand the welfare of the people and the nation.

"The role of the public is also important in monitoring such cases. Especially in monitoring the judiciary in Indonesia, because all segments of society need to care about the eradication of corruption crimes," Tinuk said.(zaf/wil/ind)

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