He said the decision to withdraw Nunun`s passport was taken by KPK not for the purpose of having Nunun extradited to Indonesia but merely for narrowing Nunun`s movement room and preventing Nunun from overstaying in Singapore.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A law professor has hailed the government`s decision on Thursday to withdraw the passport of Nunun Nurbiati, a suspect in a corruption case, as a good example in law enforcement against corrupter.

"What the KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission) has done regarding Nunun can serve as an example for other law enforcement agencies when dealing with white crime suspects who have fled abroad," Hikmahanto Juwono, international law professor of state University of Indonesia, said here on Thursday.

He made the statement in response to the decision of the law and human rights ministry to withdraw Nunun`s passport at the request of the KPK.

He said the decision to withdraw Nunun`s passport was taken by KPK not for the purpose of having Nunun extradited to Indonesia but merely for narrowing Nunun`s movement room and preventing Nunun from overstaying in Singapore.

"It is for narrowing Nunun`s moving space in other countries beside Singapore considering that Nunun is known to have also traveled to Thailand," he said.

Nunun had been going to Thailand to avoid violating her visa-free stay in Singapore which was valid for a maximum of 30 days.

"If Nunun`s passport is withdrawn she can no longer go to Thailand. This is where KPK sees an opportunity to present Nunun to the court without having to pass throught the complicated process of extradition," he said.

Hikmahanto said that Nunun`s passport was not revoked but only withdrawn.

"The idea of passport withdrawal is only known after the issuance of the new immigration law Number 6 of 2011. Perhaps the concept was introduced to catch white crime suspects that run abroad," he said.

According to Article 31 of the law a passport could be withdrawn if the holder has committed a crime or violating laws.

In its explanation a passport withdrawal will be accompanied with the issuance of a passport-like travel document to be used for the person concerned to return to Indonesia.

The ministry of justice and human rights produced the decision to withdraw Nunun`s passport following KPK`s decision to name Nunun suspect in a bribery case relating to the election of central bank deputy governor that also implicates a number of parliamentary members.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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