DPR rejects Luhut proposal on state losses in graft cases

Rudianto Lallo, a member of Commission III of the DPR, rejected a proposal by National Economic Council Chairman Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who had said state losses should not be included as an element of corruption offenses. Lallo said the formulation was not in line with Indonesia’s legal politics and risked hindering the fight against corruption. He stressed that Indonesian law recognizes elements of unlawfulness, self-enrichment or enrichment of others, and losses to state finances. After the uproar, Luhut clarified that DEN’s recommendation to President Prabowo Subianto was not to remove the state-loss element from the Anti-Graft Law. Articles 2 and 3 of the Anti-Graft Law, as well as Articles 603 and 604 of the Criminal Code, were said to remain in place. DEN, Luhut said, was only proposing clearer rules on evidence and the adoption of UNCAC offenses not yet included in national law, including bribery of foreign public officials.