Let’s See How Indonesian Government Face the Cases

In a batch of transnational cases faced by Indonesian government, there are two newest among them that attract vast concern from its public. The first is the case of David Hartanto Widjaja’s death in Singapore, and the second is violative-indicated marriage between Indonesian Manohara Odilia Pinot and a Malaysian prince.

source: http://eddymesakh.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/jenazah-david-hartanto.jpg

The previous is getting more difficult since there are some indications that the death is not caused by what the Nanyang Technological University, the university where David studied, has published before. One of its indications is the odd condition of David’s body, where there are some scratches found on it. The other is the death of a university officer (if I am not mistaken, he is a lecturer assistant, originally from China) by committing suicide in his apartment in the university, that some people believe that it has a relation with David’s death. Some controversies arise. One said that David was not going to kill his professor, Mr. Chan Kap Luk (just like media firstly confirmed), indeed, he was the potential target of a murder. Regardless this controversy, the government should acknowledge this as a case of a crime, where David’s right as an Indonesian should be protected. This does not mean that the government should take, from the very begining, position that David should not be sentenced since he was the victim, but all of probabilites about this case is open. That’s why, government should pay more attention, and in some points, give emphasis to the government of Singapore that the process should be progressive.

source: http://jakartasocial.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/mano4.jpg

It also juxtaposes Manohara’s case. Yes, she is alive now, but her mother get some information, one from a phone call with Mano herself, that there is something wrong with her daughter’s marriage. Until now, Mano’s mom can not contact her. The relations among a mom and her daughter was cut. Even, she found information that Mano got bad treatment from her husband and, non-physically, by her husband’s family. I don’t really understand this (that’s why probably I have to understand first the system of Malaysian Kingdom), but from humanity point of view, what the Royal family has done to Mano is inhumane. Again, the government should be active in facing this case, regarding that, first, Indonesia and Malaysia have different legal sytem, and second, even if there is not any law (like in Indonesia where there is a protection under the law for the persons have been being in a family, or what we recognize as “Perlindungan terhadap Kekerasan dalam Rumah Tangga”) which concern to that protection in Malaysian system, the case is still serious since it violates the basic value of human being: no one could cut off one’s relations with his or her mom, dad, or any other family members.

So, I belive that there are a lot of international law experts in the Department of Foreign Affairs. What we need today is a serious concern of them to the cases so Indonesian will feel more secure for living out of their beloved country.