Indonesian govt helping citizens in Malaysia overturn death sentence

The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry is striving to help Indonesian citizens in Malaysia overturn their death sentences following Malaysia's abolition of the mandatory death penalty, the Presidential Staff Office (KSP)informed, reported Antara news agency.

In a statement yesterday, KSP expert staff Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin said the ministry's quick response is a form of implementation of the president's mandate for protecting the people.

"The president has always emphasised that the state must be present to protect the Indonesian people, both at home and abroad," she added.

She also said that Malaysia's abolition of the mandatory death penalty has a retroactive effect.

This will allow the Foreign Ministry to help Indonesian nationals who got involved in drug cases due to ignorance or coercion, or after falling victim to human trafficking to get their death sentence changed, Siti explained.

However, this will depend on the role of the accused in the cases they have been indicted in, she added.

"If they are not part of a network that produces, but (acted) solely as couriers, then the death penalty can be reconsidered," she said.

Siti reminded the decision to help overturn the death penalty for Indonesian citizens in Malaysia does not mean that the Indonesian government will take over their cases.

However, the Indonesian government has the right to provide assistance in ensuring fair and just judicial proceedings.

"This good practice is a concrete step of the commitment of President Joko Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in increasing cooperation in protecting Indonesian workers in Malaysia," Siti said.

She then stressed the importance of early prevention to check human trafficking.

According to her, all stakeholders, from upstream to downstream, starting from families, villages, sub-districts and districts need to educate prospective Indonesian migrants on working abroad safely and productively.

- Bernama