TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia and Singapore on Tuesday have signed a bilateral extradition agreement, which is a move that is expected to help authorities prevent and eradicate cross-border criminal offenses such as corruption, drug trafficking, and terrorism.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly represented Indonesia in signing the deal that will extend retroactive application from 15 years to 18 years, in accordance with Indonesia’s Article 78 of the criminal code (KUHP).

Yasonna, in a statement on January 25, said the extradition deal agrees that; “Determining a suspect’s citizenship at the time of the crime is committed.”

This bilateral agreement has finally come to fruition between Indonesia and Singapore since 1998. Under this treaty, there are 31 types of crimes, whose perpetrators could be extradited. Among them are acts of corruption, money laundering, bribery, banking crimes, narcotics, terrorism, and the funding of terrorism.

“Indonesia managed to convince Singapore of a bilateral extradition treaty that is progressive, flexible towards developments,” Yasonna wrote in his statement.

Both countries agree to extradite any person found to be in the territory of the requested country and sought by the requesting country for prosecution or trial or execution of punishment for extraditable criminal acts.

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M ROSSENO AJI