Cooperation Agreement with Hongkong to be Signed
Wednesday, 02 April, 2008 | 17:29 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Mutual legal assistance, said Muchtar, deputy attorney general, is a strategic move of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to hunt suspected corruptors in order to take back the assets that are most likely outside the country.

Muchtar said that 2008 would be a year to hunt the corruptors. In the near future, entire assets from corruption saved outside the country are expected to be returned to the government. In Hongkong, Muchtar said, the government will bring back US$ 600 thousand worth of assets, belonging to convicted Hendra Rahardja.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) welcomes the government's plan to sign this agreement with Hong Kong.

However, the vice coordinator of the ICW executive body, Danang Widoyoko, said the effectiveness of cooperation depends on the government itself. “The punishment is done by the government,” he said yesterday. Danang said the agreement with Hongkong should be working smoothly. Hong Kong is considered seriously eradicating corruption.

The government, Danang said, should also make a similar agreement with China. Because when the mutual legal assistance is signed with Hongkong, the corruptors possibly could run to China.

SANDY INDRA PRATAMA | ANTON SEPTIAN