Frankly I`m confused.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Member of the House of Representatives Commission III Aboebakar Alhabsyi questioned the motives of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who granted a five-year clemency to convicted Australian drug peddler Schapelle Leigh Corby.
"Frankly I`m confused. I do not understand the President`s motives about the five-year clemency," Aboebakar said here on Wednesday.
He stated the government claimed to be committed to drug eradication, but things were different in reality.
"We thought the government had a remission moratorium policy for prisoners convicted for corruption, drugs and terrorism, but now they are being pardoned," Aboebakar said.
In response to the several officials who said that Corby was only carrying marijuana, he said: "This is underestimating the problem, when this country is in a state of emergency, as far as drug smuggling is concerned."
Aboebakar expressed concerns that after Corby`s case, Indonesia would be flooded with more marijuana or a policy might be issued to legalize the distribution and use of marijuana.
"Frankly, I did not believe it when the Legal and Human Rights Minister stated there would be similar treatment of legal issues faced by citizens of Indonesia in Australia," he said.
Aboebakar noted Indonesia had no mutual legal assistance (MLA) or reciprocal agreement with Australia in a "matter of law".
"So I do not understand the logic of how the law was used," he said.
Aboebakar added President Yudhoyono might have come under pressure from Australia. However, he said, if Australia`s intervention did occur, it meant the sovereignty of Indonesian law had been compromised.
"Surely this is not a good precedent for law enforcement in Indonesia," Aboebakar added.
(A050)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
