A commission of the House of Representatives has agreed to bring the bill on the extradition treaty with Singapore to the plenary session, bringing it closer to approval following lengthy talks that can be traced back to the final year of President Soeharto's more than two-decade-long term.
On Monday, all nine parties in Commission III on Legal Affairs agreed to the government's proposal to examine the issue in the House plenary session, where a coalition supporting President Joko Widodo holds a huge majority of seats.
During a January meeting on Bintan Island, Riau Islands Province, President Joko Widodo and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong signed the treaty, the bilateral defense cooperation agreement, and the transfer of Flight Information Region (FIR) management over Natuna Island and surrounding areas from Singapore to Indonesia.
However, an extradition pact must be passed by the legislature, and there is no better moment than during the current administration, when the 575-member House is dominated by a pro-government coalition with 83 percent of the seats.
"The signing of the bill ratifying the extradition of fugitives between Indonesia and Singapore signifies that this forum agrees to move the topic to the next House plenary session," Commission III Vice Chairman Pangeran Khairul Saleh stated at the hearing.
The government was represented by Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly, who praised the commission for approving the pact and emphasized its importance to the country's legal system.
"The agreement between the governments of Indonesia and Singapore on the extradition of fugitives regulates the authorized agencies to conduct extradition, the criminal offenses that can result in extradition, the legal standing, an exception to extradition, the required documents, and the operational procedures for the transfer," Yasonna explained.
In stark contrast to the stalemate during the presidency of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a number of prominent MPs have pledged a swift ratification process with little resistance (2004-14).
In 2007, Susilo ratified the extradition deal, but it stalled in the House, where the majority of legislators vehemently opposed an attached defense accord enabling Singapore to establish a military training base on an Indonesian island.
Now, however, even the Social Justice Party, or PKS, a fierce adversary of the Joko Widodo administration, has signaled that it would not stand in the way.
PKS politician Sukamta, a member of the House's Commission I in charge of military and international affairs, has stated, "Today's political forces in parliament are considerably different from those of the past."
Sukamta stated, "It is essential to analyze all clauses and ensure that the agreement serves Indonesia's best interests."
Dave Fikarno Laksono, a politician from the Golkar Party, stated that the treaty "won't be placed on a waiting list" and that "three sessions at most" are required before the ratification by the plenary session.
Additionally, House Speaker Puan Maharani stated before that Indonesia had pursued the pact since 1998.
The January Indonesia-Singapore high-level summit also generated a new milestone for Indonesia's airspace sovereignty.
Since the 1990s, Indonesia has unsuccessfully sought to regain the FIR management in its airspace due to a lack of technology assistance and personnel.
Since 1946, Singapore has regulated aircraft navigation in the region with International Civil Aviation Organization certification (ICAO).
Comments