Energy Minister Encourages Human Resource Development to Doctorates

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

PRESS RELEASE

NUMBER: 483.Pers/04/SJI/2021

Date: 28 December 2021

Energy Minister Encourages Human Resource Development to Doctorates

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR), Arifin Tasrif, attended the Doctoral Promotion Ceremony in Criminology of the University of Indonesia for M. Idris F. Sihite, who is Head of the Legal Bureau of the Ministry of EMR, on Monday (27/12). The defense of the dissertation revolved around the large number of assets accumulated from corruption that are hidden by corruptors abroad, the fact that there is no record on the number of assets that are gained, and the government's difficulty in seizing such assets.

In his defense, Idris explained the layers of barriers the Indonesian government had to face to recover stolen assets that were spread across many countries.

"The first layer is the fact that it is difficult to track down the whereabouts of a corruptor's assets because these assets have generally been transferred to other forms and on behalf of other people. The second layer, even if their whereabouts are known, different legal systems make it difficult to seize the assets. The third layer is the process to recover assets is often hindered by bureaucratic formalities," explained Idris.

If asset recovery is difficult, many corruptors may use similar modes to hide the proceeds of their crimes. Moreover, the amount of corruption in Indonesia in the last 16 years has hit Rp225.7 trillion.

"This figure is equivalent to the cost of delivering electricity to 5,040 remote villages, or the cost of educating 3.36 million children until college," added Idris.

In the position where the state is a victim, continued Idris, corruption impacts on the ability of the state to carry out its functions. If bureaucrats are involved in corruption, then these bureaucrats perpetrate victimization of the state, while at the same time, they are state instruments that have the obligation to confiscate assets.

"In addition, there is a perception among law enforcement authorities that the state is an abstract entity. They assume that no one is directly harmed. It can be concluded that the state is a disguised victim of corruption, and through analysis of the 'crime prism' theory, we can gather that "the state as invisible victim"," Idris concluded.

After hearing the defense against the questions from the doctorate committee, the committee chair finally decided that M. Idris F. Sihite graduated very satisfactorily and had the right to a doctorate in criminology. Idris is the 28th doctor of criminology at the Department of Criminology, University of Indonesia.

For the record, Minister Arifin always encourages the development of human resources through higher education.

"We will continue to encourage the development of human resources. We will encourage our scholars to get higher education at master or doctoral level, we will encourage them," said Arifin when receiving the Distinguished Honorary Fellow title from the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations back on December 28, 2020. (IY)

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