Politics · Indonesia · 9 hrs ago
Indonesian bill could help return seized assets to financial crime victims
Legal expert Hardjuno Wiwoho has backed a proposal by Indonesian lawmaker Habiburokhman to use the Asset Forfeiture Bill to help repay financial crime victims.
The proposal covers cases such as fake investments, fictitious share and commodity trading, and Umrah travel scams.
Victims can lose family savings, while criminal proceedings may take years to finish.
The bill’s discussions are aimed at allowing claims against assets without waiting for a criminal case to end, which could make it harder to hide or transfer them.
Hardjuno says the law should set clear, transparent rules for identifying victims, checking losses, managing seized assets and distributing sale proceeds.
He also says courts should review the process and protect good-faith third parties; the bill is still under discussion.
A proposed Indonesian asset-forfeiture bill could provide a way to return recovered assets to victims of financial crimes.
The bill’s discussion is being directed toward allowing claims against assets, potentially without waiting for criminal proceedings against suspects to finish.
Legal and development observer Hardjuno Wiwoho backed the proposal, saying victims need their money returned as well as perpetrators punished.
He called for clear, transparent procedures to identify victims, verify losses, manage assets and distribute proceeds.
Hardjuno also said the process should include court review and safeguards for good-faith third parties.
- Who
- Indonesian lawmaker Habiburokhman proposed using the bill to return assets to victims; observer Hardjuno Wiwoho supported the idea.
- What
- A proposed asset-forfeiture bill could enable seized assets to compensate victims of financial crimes.
- When
- Hardjuno’s comments were reported on 3 November 2026. The article quotes him as speaking on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
- Where
- Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Why
- Victims can struggle to obtain compensation, and assets may be hidden or transferred before legal proceedings end.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The bill’s discussion was directed toward allowing claims against assets so recovery would not always have to wait for criminal proceedings to end.
Habiburokhman said assets linked to financial crimes, including fraudulent investments and fake commodity trading, should be recoverable for victims.
Hardjuno backed the proposal and called for clear procedures to return recovered assets to victims.
- Bill
- Proposed Indonesian asset-forfeiture bill
- Supporter
- Hardjuno Wiwoho, legal and development observer
- Lawmaker
- Habiburokhman, chair of Commission III of the House of Representatives
- Potential crimes
- Fraudulent investments, fictitious stock and commodity trading, and umrah travel scams
- Proposed mechanism
- Claims against assets, or in rem
- Safeguards sought
- Court review and protection for good-faith third parties
What people are saying
For victims of fraudulent investments, putting the perpetrator in prison is important, but they also need their money back.
The process of law can run for years, but when it ends, the assets that could be returned to victims must not already be gone or transferred to someone else.
Victims should be able to know what assets have been recovered, how they are managed, and how their rights are returned.