TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - House of Representatives member Syarifuddin Sudding asked the Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly to take full responsibility for the fire that broke at the Tangerang Penitentiary. The incident led to the deaths of 41 inmates.

"I think it is Pak Yasonna who has to take full responsibility. Not only the Directorate General or the warden. Don't blame the warden, the policy is at the Ministry," Sudding said on Wednesday, September 8.

The National Mandate Party politician also criticized the many and complex problems in prison conditions in Indonesia, from overcapacity issues, drug trafficking, to inhumane treatment of inmates.

Sudding, member of the DPR's Commission III, said that the fire at Tangerang Prison is one of the accumulated problems that often afflict prisons in Indonesia. He mentioned the need for an evaluation over Yasonna's performance as Minister of Law and Human Rights. In his opinion, many prison problems occurred during Yasonna's tenure.

Minister Yasonna had directly inspected the location of the fire at the Tangerang Prison. He instructed officers to focus on evacuating victims and treating inmates who were injured.

"My deepest condolences for the victims of this incident. This is a tragedy of great concern for all of us," Yasonna Laoly said.

Read: Victims of Tangerang Prison Fire Difficult to Identify, Says Minister