The Asset Forfeiture Bill represents the concrete implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), ratified by Indonesia in 2006. Article 54(1)(c) of the UNCAC obliges signatory states to adopt seizing assets without requiring a criminal conviction against the perpetrator.

This approach has proven effective in deterring crime across nations. For example, in 2006, the United States seized crime-related assets worth US$1.2 billion, while the Philippines recovered $657 million in illicit proceeds from former president Ferdinand Marcos.

Indonesia's reality is far more dire. Conventional law enforcement, overly focused on convicting perpetrators, has consistently failed to recover state losses. Over the past decade, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has documented state losses from corruption amounting to tens of trillions of rupiah. This does not even account for cases prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office, involving damages exceeding hundreds of trillions in recent years.

A core question remains, of all cases handled by law enforcement, what percentage of state losses has been recovered? Has the emphasis been solely on jailing offenders, while trillions in corrupt assets vanish into thin air?

In substance, the Asset Forfeiture Bill introduces a revolutionary paradigm by shifting enforcement focus from perpetrators to proceeds of crime. The presence of the offender becomes nonessential, with legal proceedings centered entirely on the illicit assets.

A key innovation is the reversal of the burden of proof, requiring asset owners to demonstrate the legitimate origins of their wealth. Failure to do so results in forfeiture via court order. The bill also prioritizes time efficiency to avert asset depreciation from prolonged litigation, enabling swift recovery of crime proceeds.