Experts Weigh In on Proposed Asset Forfeiture Bill

Jakarta: Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) continued deliberations on the proposed Asset Forfeiture Bill on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, hearing recommendations from several legal experts on the draft legislation.
 
Among those presenting was prominent Indonesian lawyer Juniver Girsang, who outlined nine revisions to the draft law. His recommendations included renaming the bill’s title, refining the legal definition of asset forfeiture, and establishing an independent Asset Management Committee responsible for overseeing the seized assets.

The committee, he noted, would be responsible for cataloging, managing, and auctioning the confiscated assets, while ensuring that proceeds are deposited transparently into the state treasury.
 
During his presentation, Juniver also argued that the bill should provide a clear legal remedy for individuals whose property was wrongly seized, allowing third parties with legitimate ownership claims to challenge the confiscation and recover their assets.
 
He further called for the bill to adopt an in rem approach –,targeting the property itself,– rather than the proposed in personam approach directed at the individual. He warned that “the current draft would allow the seizure of assets belonging to ordinary citizens”, adding that “this simply cannot be allowed.”
 
Concluding his presentation, Juniver stressed that the bill should be applied only to crimes that have caused financial losses to the state, with its primary objective being the recovery of state assets. He added that “the bill must not undermine public welfare.”
 
(Jonathan Sianto)