Indonesian Advocates Association Raises Concerns Over Asset Forfeiture Bill  

Jakarta: Indonesian Advocates Association (Ikadin) Chairman Maqdir Ismail has urged lawmakers to establish clear and convincing evidentiary standards in the Asset Forfeiture Bill.
 
“As it stands, the proposed bill would allow the state to seize assets linked to crimes without requiring a prior criminal conviction against the owner,” he said at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, August 3, 2026.
 
"If implemented, the bill must be accompanied by fair procedures that can be verified by other parties,” he remarked.
 
To ensure fair proceedings, Maqdir called for a robust analysis and verification process to determine a substantial link between assets and suspected criminal offenses.
 
He added that such processes should be conducted within a limited timeframe, with asset owners granted the right to challenge the validity of the evidence.
 
“Assets seized based on suspicion should only be subject to a limited timeframe – six years in the UK and seven years in South Africa – so that prosecutors remain obligated to present supporting evidence,” he said.
 
Maqdir also stressed the need for judicial safeguards in the bill to protect parties from intimidation or coercion by investigators or public prosecutors.
 
“This includes protection for the assets of corporations that have yet to be proven guilty,” he said.
 
(Jonathan Sianto)