Corruptors who have been under overseas travel ban, are usually helped by Indonesians who travel to Singapore to communicate (with them).
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) has noted that 45 corruptors have fled overseas over the past 10 years to escape the law.

"According to our records, of the 45 corruptors, 20 have fled to Singapore," ICW`s Deputy Coordinator Emerson Yuntho said in a discussion on "Polemic: Corruptors Escape, the State Comes Up Short" here Saturday.

Singapore has been one of the corruptors` favorite destination because it is considered to have several "added values".

Geographically, Singapore is close to Indonesia so those corruptors still could run their businesses from Singapore, and there is no extradition treaty between Indonesia and Singapore.

"Corruptors who have been under overseas travel ban, are usually helped by Indonesians who travel to Singapore to communicate (with them)," he said.

The Indonesian government has offered extradition cooperation to the Singaporean government since 2007 but there has been no follow up.

Indonesian corruptors staying in Singapore cannot be forced to return to Jakarta because they could file a lawsuit with a Singapore court to protect themselves.

Corruptors like Gayus Tambunan were willing to return Indonesia thanks to persuasive approaches, he said.

The latest prominent escapees are Muhammad Nazaruddin and Nunun Nurbaeti.

Nazaruddin was relieved from his position as the Democrat Party treasurer after he was widely reported to be implicated in an alleged corruption case at the sports ministry and an attempt to bribe a Constitutional Court official. The immigration office had noted that Nazaruddin left Indonesia for Singapore on Monday (May 23) night.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had named Nunun Nurbaeti a suspect in connection with alleged bribery linked to the election of Bank Indonesia Senior Deputy Governor Miranda Gultom in 2004, the anti-graft body`s chief said.

The KPK planned to send a team of officers to Cambodia to coordinate with local law enforcing agencies in locating Nunun.

(T.SYS/A/F001/F001)

(ANTARA)

Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2011