Indonesia, January 12: The Indonesian Government, which has promised to stamp out corruption, was embarrassed by revelations today that rich and powerful prisoners are living in luxury behind bars.
Details of the perks for influential inmates were front-page news after a team established by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to probe judicial corruption conducted a snap inspection of a women’s jail in Jakarta.
Businesswoman Artalyta Suryani, convicted last year for bribing prosecutors, was reportedly interrupted in the middle of a laser beauty treatment in her 64sq m apartment-style “cell”.
Her perks included a double bed, air conditioning, flat-screen television, a refrigerator, private kitchen and bathroom, and a playpen for children, according to The Jakarta Globe newspaper.
“We deeply regret that several prisoners might have received special treatment,” presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said.
“President Yudhoyono believes that all inmates should receive equal treatment. There shouldn’t be any privileges or special dispensations for prisoners.”
Mr Yudhoyono has promised to crush what he has called the “court mafia” that runs the country’s judicial system, although critics say his fact-finding team lacks authority and point to his failure to take more decisive action.
The ex-general won re-election in July but his second five-year term has been hit by a steady flow of scandals that have cast doubt on his oft-repeated promises to tackle pervasive corruption.
“All the problems related to the judicial mafia can’t be solved overnight,” Mr Pasha said.
Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar suspended the head of the Pondok Bambu women’s prison in Jakarta that was inspected by the fact-finding team and promised to reshuffle other prison chiefs.
This would prevent them creating their own “kingdoms” by selling favors and privileges, he said.
He made no promise to prosecute any prison chiefs who had profited from such illegal behavior.
It is well known in Indonesia that wealthy and powerful inmates are able to buy special treatment and even shorter sentences, while the poor and vulnerable are crammed into overcrowded cells and subjected to extortion and abuse.
An anonymous former inmate told Metro TV that new prisoners faced torture in the form of daily beatings unless they paid money. Other prisoners worked with the guards to extort money from newcomers, he said.
“When I was new, I was asked for money but I didn’t have any. The consequences were painful, I was beaten up every day,” he said.
“The most expensive fee for privileges like air con was IDR2 million ($218) a month, but everything is negotiable.”
The son of late dictator Mr Suharto reportedly enjoyed luxuries including four fish tanks and personal staff, although he was convicted of killing a Supreme Court judge.
One of six children, Hutomo “Tommy” Mandala Putra Suharto served just a third of a 15-year jail term for the murder. He was released in October 2006 and made an unsuccessful bid to run for president last year.
Mr Yudhoyono pledged to crack down on the court mafia late last year after police and prosecutors were caught allegedly conspiring to frame two senior anti-graft investigators on behalf of a corrupt businessman.
One of the prosecutors has resigned without further punishment, while the chief detective at the centre of the scandal remains on the force and no action has been taken against the so-called broker who acted for the businessman.
—Agencies