The CHAIRMAN of Commission III of the DPR, Bambang Wiryanto or Bambang Pacul, admitted that he did not have the courage to pass the Asset Confiscation Bill and the Bill on Restrictions on Currency Transactions unless ordered by the boss.
This acknowledgment was conveyed by Bambang Pacul, a member of the PDIP faction, in response to a request by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD in a joint working meeting with the DPR, Wednesday (29/3/2023).
Pacul emphasized that not all laws discussed by legislators were intervened by the general chairmen of political parties.
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Bambang Pacul said that parties are part of a nation in which there are aspirations. Pacul said the cadres worked based on party ideological lines.
The general chairman, said Pacul, did have the right to remind his members who were wrong at work.
“So if we are in a party, it is the general chairperson’s authority to remind us. If I talk about the Asset Confiscation Bill, this is important. The others, maybe not necessary,” said Pacul.
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Responding to this, the chairman of the Golkar Party DPP, Dave Laksono, explained that he was going too far to think that Bambang Pacul’s chatter could be an obstacle to the process of the Asset Confiscation Bill.
Dave emphasized that Bambang Pacul’s statement was not an obstacle to the creation of the Asset Confiscation Bill.
“Maybe it’s too far and deep if his statement is interpreted like that. It is indeed a political process in which political parties are the vessel for the voice and trust of the Indonesian people,” said Dave.
According to Dave, the process of making a law must go through several stages and it doesn’t take a moment.
“The process must be passed and completed by the government and parliament,” said Dave.
Dave explained that his party would discuss an appropriate schedule for a meeting of all stakeholders, be it the government, ministries, DPR RI, to state institutions to discuss the Draft Bill on Confiscation of Assets Proceeds of Crime.
“Later it will be discussed first in the Central Committee (DPR),” he said.
Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo or Jokowi asked the relevant ministries/institutions to immediately finalize the Draft Law (RUU) on Asset Confiscation to be completed immediately.
According to Jokowi, a presidential letter (surpres) can be issued immediately when the draft bill is ready.
“We continue to push for the Asset Confiscation Bill to be completed as soon as possible, this law is very important. I have also conveyed to the House of Representatives (DPR) that the relevant ministries will finish it soon,” said the president after inaugurating the Mahata Margonda Universal Millennial Residence in Depok, West Java, Thursday (13/4).
“When it’s finished (the draft), it’s my part to issue the Surpres as soon as possible. We’ve been pushing for a long time. The period is not finished,” Jokowi added. (Z-8)