President Prabowo Subianto has taken a major stride to reconcile with two convicted opposition figures by granting them clemency and eliminating their prison sentences, a move widely seen as an effort to curb dissent and stabilise his first term in office.
In an unexpected move, Prabowo submitted a request with the House of Representatives requesting abolition for former trade minister Thomas Lembong as well as amnesty for 1,116 convicts, including Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Hasto Kritiyanto.
Thomas was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after the court found him guilty in a corruption case pertaining to raw sugar import.
Meanwhile, the Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced Hasto last week to three-and-a-half years in prison over bribery pertaining to a 2019 legislative seat appointment scheme.
House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas, both from Prabowo’s Gerindra Party, announced on Thursday night that the legislature approved the proposal following consultations between the government and House party factions.
Supratman confirmed that he initiated both clemency requests, citing “national interest, political unity and the individuals’ past contributions” to the country.
“This is about thinking in terms of the republic. Both individuals have demonstrated service to the nation, and the priority now is to strengthen our cohesion,” he told reporters during the briefing at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta.
Deputy State Secretary Juri Ardiantoro reiterated national unity as the motivation behind the decision: “If we want to move forward, it must be together through mutual cooperation.”
He dismissed notions that Prabowo was seeking to interfere with the legal process, stressing that all Indonesian citizens are entitled to equal treatment under the law.
Analysts called Prabowo’s clemency for Thomas and Hasto a politicisation of the justice system, warning that the decision risks eroding judicial independence and weakening Indonesia’s anti-corruption efforts.
Both Thomas and Hasto’s camps claimed both cases were politically motivated and driven by their criticism toward former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
Thomas served as a co-captain of failed presidential candidate Anies Baswedan’s campaign in the 2024 election.
Meanwhile, PDI-P has repeatedly said the probe into Hasto was an effort to target him for being critical to Jokowi. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
