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Witness protection agency seeks stronger law, decent facilities
Often sneered at as a paper tiger, the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) is seeking stronger legal basis and more decent facilities to improve its performance
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ften sneered at as a paper tiger, the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) is seeking stronger legal basis and more decent facilities to improve its performance.
LPSK chairman Abdul Haris Semendawai admitted Saturday the agency's job to protect whistle blowers had been hampered by major problems.
"As a *new-born' institution, we know that we can't do much yet. We need stronger legal infrastructure and better facilities to improve our performance," Abdul told The Jakarta Post during a recent interview.
The LPSK's establishment in 2008 was mandated by the 2006 Victim and Witness Protection Law, which was passed five years after it was initiated.
During its first year, the LPSK could not perform well because it had been busy strengthening its organization while its personnel worked with inadequate facilities provided by the government, Abdul said.
"We had no permanent office for months. We ended up in a rented office," Abdul said.
LPSK's office occupies a small section of the big old Perintis Kemerdekaan Building on Jl. Proklamasi in Central Jakarta.
The agency also has no permanent safe houses for witnesses or victims needing protection.
"Nevertheless, it's better now. At least we can focus on our duty," Abdul said.
During the first four months of 2010, the agency received 49 protection requests, of which 11 were granted.
Whistle-blowers of "ordinary" crimes topped the list with 31 requests, or 64.58 percent, followed by corruption cases with 12 requests, or 25 percent, he said.
The number of filed requests is relatively small.
By comparison, the Judicial Mafia Taskforce has received 1,670 reports since its establishment in January, according to its secretary, Denny Indrayana.
Abdul said the small number of requests for protection could be attributed to overlapping laws, some of which override the agency's authority.
Abdul cited Article 44 of the 2006 Victim and Witness Protection Law stipulating that any other laws dealing with victim and witness protection should be ignored.
"In reality, many other institutions still apply those laws," he said.
Abdul mentioned the 2002 Law on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as an example. The law stipulates the KPK is obliged to grant protection for witnesses and whistle-blowers.
In fact, he added, the police also often provide protection to witnesses and whistle blowers.
LPSK will announce on Monday its decision on the protection request sought by former National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, who unraveled the massive graft cases in his former institution.
