Indonesia’s Parliament approves longstanding extradition, defence agreements with S’pore

Indonesia’s Parliament on Thursday ratified an agreement for the extradition of fugitives with Singapore, the last of three agreements on outstanding bilateral issues between the two countries.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly told the House of Representatives (DPR) that the agreement between Indonesia and Singapore will provide “legal certainty” for the two nations in carrying out extradition of fugitives.

“This extradition cooperation with Singapore will make it easier for law enforcement officials to solve criminal cases in which the perpetrators are in Singapore,” he added.

The DPR had ratified the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) earlier on Dec 6, which will allow the Singapore Armed Forces to train and take part in exercises in Indonesia, with full respect for Indonesia’s sovereignty over its territory.

Both neighbors had concluded and signed the two agreements in April 2007, witnessed by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and agreed to implement them simultaneously. However, they were not ratified by Indonesia then.

On Jan 25, Mr Lee and President Joko Widodo reaffirmed their commitment to the two agreements – as well as a third one, the Flight Information Region (FIR) agreement – at the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat in Bintan.

“These agreements are a matter of necessity for Indonesia,” Mr Arsul Sani, a member of House Commission III overseeing law and legislation, human rights and security affairs, told The Straits Times.