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ewly appointed Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin gained praise in his first days in office following his pledge to impose a moratorium on granting remissions to corruption and terrorism convicts.

Amir, a member of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, said outlawing prison sentence cuts for graft and terrorism convicts was one of his priorities.

Teten Masduki of Transparency International Indonesia said he welcomed Amir’s pledge, but warned the new minister to make good on his promise.

“Repeated penalty remissions for corruption convicts have negated the ‘shock effect’ of imprisonment. Those convicted for corruption only serve a few months in jail. That does not make others afraid of committing corruption,” he said.

“Amir has made a good first impression. Now, our duty is to closely monitor him as he accomplishes his pledges,” Teten added.

Hendardi of the Setara Institute, meanwhile, urged Amir to fulfill his pledge by revising the law on remissions as soon as possible.

Amir’s background as a lawyer, however, has some worried that he is not committed to combating graft.

“Remission has become one of the illicit businesses of ministry officials and wardens. It has also become a tool by which lawyers seek lighter punishments for their clients,” Teten said.

It is possible, he added, that Amir’s former lawyer colleagues might lobby him to not follow through on the moratorium.

“We must encourage Amir to disregard such pro-graft-convict requests. Amir must also be free from any political interests in his party, some of whose members have been implicated in graft cases,” Teten said.

Ministry spokesman Martua Batubara said the moratorium was part of the ministry’s corruption eradication efforts, which would be the ministry’s priority under the new minister.

“We must respond to the public’s great concern about corruption and the objections against remissions granted to corruption convicts. We realize that there is a growing notion among the public that such remissions are unjust,” Martua said.

Separately, senior lawyer and former law and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra warned that the moratorium might violate human rights and the principle of equal treatment for prisoners.

“The United Nations has also made an international convention on that issue. I am not supporting corruption and do not call me pro-corruption. I am just perceiving the law objectively,” Yusril said.

Teten opposed Yusril’s opinion.

“Lawyers tend to make statements to defend their clients. Corruption is an extraordinary crime and therefore the treatment for the convicts must also be imposed differently. Why do you think the corruption law is specially made for corruption charges?” Teten said, adding that corruption was a crime that carried widespread negative impacts for the nation.

Last month, the President stated that he agreed with the need for a moratorium on remissions for corruption convicts, as well as terrorists. The regulation on granting remissions is being reviewed.

The decision to review the regulation was prompted by a public outcry after it was revealed that high-profile graft convicts, including former prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan, former State Logistics Agency chief Widjanarko
Puspoyo, and former Golkar lawmaker Antony Zeidra Abidin, had been granted generous prison sentence cuts. (sat)