Indonesia, Singapore ink extradition treaty at long last

Jakarta, January 25 (ANTARA) - Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly signed an extradition treaty between Indonesia and Singapore that had been proposed since 1998 to thwart the practice of cross-border corruption. "This agreement is useful to prevent and eradicate cross-border criminal acts, such as corruption, drug-related crimes, and terrorism," he stated here on Tuesday. The Indonesia-Singapore extradition treaty has a retroactive period, which is effective moving backward for 18 years, according to Article 78 of the Indonesian Penal Code. "This extradition treaty would flinch criminal actors in Indonesia and Singapore," Laoly expounded. The types of criminal acts for which the perpetrators can be extradited under the agreement are corruption, money laundering, bribery, banking crimes, drug-related crimes, terrorism, and financing related to terrorism. The Indonesia-Singapore extradition treaty was finally signed after the Indonesian government having pursued it since 1998 on every occasion, such as bilateral and regional meetings with Singapore. On December 16, 2002, at the Bogor Presidential Palace, Indonesia's 5th President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Singapore's former prime minister Goh Chok Tong held a bilateral meeting to discuss cooperation between both nations in all sectors that resulted in an agreement to create an extradition treaty. On April 27, 2007, at the Tampaksiring Palace, Bali, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda and Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo signed an extradition treaty witnessed by 6th Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. However, the treaty was not valid since both countries had not ratified it. Finally, on October 8, 2019, at the Indonesia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat, the Indonesian law and human rights minister had proposed that the extradition treaty, which aligned with the security cooperation agreement, should be re-raised and mulled over. After correspondence, consultations, and negotiations on October 22, 2021, the Singapore government accepted Indonesia's proposal. Finally, the Indonesia-Singapore extradition treaty was signed in Bintan, Riau Islands, on January 25, 2022.