Bambang Muryanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta | National | Wed, March 13 2013, 7:47 PM

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/03/13/ngos-urge-law-enforcers-use-money-laundering-law.html

The Center for Anti-Corruption Studies (PUKAT) at Gadjah Mada University and the Indonesia Islamic University’s (UII) Center for Economic Crimes Studies have asked law enforcers to use Law No.8/2010 on money laundering when investigating graft suspects.

“The state could maximize its effort to confiscate the fortunes originating from graft. Besides, implementing this law could ultimately result in heavier punishment,” Hifdzil Alim of PUKAT said Wednesday.

He said that the Corruption Law carried a maximum fine of Rp 1 billion whereas the Money Laundering Law carried a maximum Rp 10 billion fine.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) used the Money Laundering Law and the Corruption Law in the trial of former lawmaker Wa Ode Nurhayati. However, Hifdzil acknowledged that Wa Ode was only sentenced to only six years in prison and fined Rp 500 million, far less than the 14 years and Rp 1 billion fine sought by prosecutors.

Abdul Kholiq from the Center for Economic Crimes Studies together with Hifdzil urged law enforcement agencies to consistently use the Money Laundering Law when dealing with graft cases.

He further asked law enforcers to use the Money Laundering Law from the preliminary investigation stage.

“Using the Money Laundering Law from the beginning of an investigation would enable law enforcers to recover more ill-gotten money,” he said.(dic)