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House bays for Denny's downfall
Members of House of Representatives Commission III on legal affairs have called on Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana to resign from his post for the mismanagement of the prison system
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embers of House of Representatives Commission III on legal affairs have called on Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana to resign from his post for the mismanagement of the prison system.
United Development Party (PPP) lawmaker Ahmad Yani said the over-active role of Denny had created a dual leadership that hampered the ministry's efforts to effectively solve the problems of prison overcrowding and lack of facilities, which is believed to be the main cause of a riot at Tanjung Gusta Penitentiary in Medan, North Sumatra, on Thursday last week.
Yani said that at times Denny worked as leader at the ministry, bypassing the authority of his boss, Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin. 'We know that there are two suns in the ministry. It should be that a deputy minister helps the minister.'
He also accused Denny, an academician, of being too preoccupied with his image than doing actual work in improving the nation's crowded prisons.
'He loves making unannounced visits at penitentiaries, but these inspections are only aimed at boosting his image. He never addresses the real problems,' Yani said on Sunday.
Fellow lawmaker Trimedya Pandjaitan from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) called on Denny to get his hands dirty by working to improve the penitentiary system rather than making statements to the media.
Trimedya also accused Denny of engaging in wasteful spending by making lavish trips for his unannounced trips. 'It's not effective. He frequently charters a jet and makes a visit in the middle of the night.'
On Thursday evening last week, 218 inmates, including nine convicted terrorists, escaped after setting Tanjung Gusta Penitentiary ablaze.
The riot occurred after a power blackout that knocked out water pumps, leaving inmates without water.
The prison has only 15 prison guards to watch over 2,594 inmates and six detainees. The prison has an operational housing capacity of 1,054 prisoners.
Indonesia has 452 penitentiaries and detention centers that jointly house 162,011 prisoners, exceeding the total capacity of 108,160 prisoners.
Prisons across the country record an average of 150 percent overcapacity, with one guard to every 50 prisoners against the ideal 1:5 ratio.
A lack of prison guards has raised concerns over the safety of inmates.
For instance, on March 23, 12 Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) commandos forced their way into the Cebongan prison in Yogyakarta and executed four inmates to retaliate the death of a Kopassus member.
On April 26, three Tanjung Gusta inmates suffered serious injuries after being stabbed in a clash between two gangs.
It has not helped that Denny, known for his integrity, has at times created a ruckus while making unannounced visits.
In September 2012, some inmates in a correctional facility in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, resented a visit by Denny and tried to break free from their cells and shouted at officials conducting the raid. In his visit, Denny confiscated methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia as well smartphones and a tablet computer.
'Denny's lack of coordination also resulted in the ministry's failure to issue a timely statement on the riot,' Yani said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appeared incensed on Saturday and reprimanded Amir for not issuing a statement in the first 10 hours after the incident.
Denny, who is among Yudhoyono's innercircle, has rebuffed the call for his resignation. 'In the fight against graft, terrorism, drugs and other types of mafia, there is only one option: ever onward,' Denny said in a statement.
Democratic Party lawmaker Ruhut Sitompul, meanwhile, said that Denny was not to blame for the mess in the country's prison system.
'The government, through the Law and Human Rights Ministry, has previously brought the overcrowding issue before the House, but my fellow lawmakers refused to listen,' Ruhut said.
The government allocates less than Rp 1 trillion (US$100 million) annually for maintenance and management of prisons across the archipelago.
As of Sunday evening, the police had recaptured 98 of the 218 escapees, including five convicted terrorists.
National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the police had stepped up efforts to rearrest the remaining four terrorists.
The four ' Agus Sunyoto, Nibras, Abdul Gani Siregar and Fadli Sadama ' were involved in the CIMB Niaga Bank robbery in Medan and the attack on the Hamparan Perak Police station in Deli Serdang regency in 2010.
Prison incidents
'¢ Nov. 26, 2009: Dozens of angry prisoners damage Abepura Penitentiary in Jayapura, Papua, in protest at the alleged torture of Bucthar Tabuni, who had been detained for subversion.
'¢ March 9, 2011: The National Narcotics Agency arrest Nusakambangan Narcotics Penitentiary chief Marwan Adli and two of his subordinates for receiving money from a drug-dealing inmate. Sept. 18, 2011: A riot breaks out at Muaradua Penitentiary in Ogan Komering Ulu Selatan regency, South Sumatra. The clash results in two deaths, and one prison guard being injured.
'¢ Feb. 21-22, 2012: Rampaging inmates torch Bali's largest correctional facility, Kerobokan Penitentiary. Three inmates are injured.
'¢ April 3, 2012: An impromptu visit to Pekanbaru Penitentiary by Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana and his entourage is marred by an incident in which the deputy minister allegedly slaps a prison guard.
'¢ March 23, 2013: Twelve Kopassus members allegedly descend on Cebongan Penitentiary in Sleman, Yogyakarta, and shoot dead four prisoners.
Source: The Jakarta Post
