Ahok Disapproves 'Independence Day' Merciful Gesture on Prisoners

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Just less than a week, Indonesia will have its celebration of independence. Law enforcers have been instructed to assure security days leading up to the independence. Other type of preparations has also been executed as to make further assurance of safety during Independence Day. Even with security already assured, the nation is still not immune to other kind of issue.

What remains as the predominant concern is the fact that a consideration for remission to prisoners as a bonus on Independence Day has been largely taken into account. Such pardoning gesture surely creates divided opinions with opposing side rejecting free clemency given to these convicts and the supporters viewing it as a humanitarian gesture.

What is even more unacceptable for those who oppose it is the fact that these pardoning ‘Independence Day’ gesture is specifically yielded for prisoners who have been jailed for corruption and drugs-related charges. Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or the man who is commonly called Ahok said he disapproves the notion of giving remission to these people.

He claims to have been fascinated by the idea of jailing these individuals for a life time with no remission whatsoever. He even said that he dislikes the idea of death penalty, as the prisoners suffering ends the moment he/she took their last breath.

He is fond by the idea of punishing them until the end of time with no mercy, so that these people would realize the dire consequences of doing what they did and this will give the general population an idea of what would happen if they do the same.

"I honestly don't like the idea of death penalty. I will very much approve policies on drug dealers and corruptors to serve lifetime in jail," Governor Basuki informed, Jakarta, Tuesday 11 of August 2015.

The same goes to corruptors, Governor Basuki says. According to him, corruptors are not suppose to be given the privilege of any kind of pardoning gesture and are more appropriate for the government to freeze their assets and all of their possessions so that they will know what it feels like to have their wealth taken away from them.

"Corruptors need to know how it feels to be poor, to be scraped to nothingness in terms of their wealth," he continued. "Why would these individuals be given any sort of pardoning gesture? They don’t even feel like they’re in prison, they still have the power to move to other prisons, party behind the bar, do drugs, gamble and have girls coming in and out of their cells as they wish," he concluded. (Akp/Tnt)