Ilham Oktafian, Antara, Jakarta – Three leaders of the House of Representatives have vowed to resign if lawmakers fail to pass the long-delayed Asset Forfeiture Bill by Dec. 15, 2026, a pledge made as protesters gathered outside parliament on Thursday.
Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad made the commitment during a meeting with the Pati United Community Alliance (AMPB), whose members were among those demanding passage of the bill.
"We are committed to completing this law on time. If it is not completed, we will resign," Dasco said, according to the meeting proceedings.
Dasco was accompanied by Deputy Speakers Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal and Saan Mustopa. The three later signed a statement expressing their willingness to step down if the deadline is missed.
The House formally approved Dec. 15 as the deadline during Thursday's plenary session. Dasco said the decision would serve as the basis for lawmakers to complete deliberations and bring the bill to a final vote.
The pledge prompted AMPB, which had called for the bill's passage and tougher penalties for corruption, to disperse from outside the parliament complex after meeting with House leaders.
The proposed law is designed to strengthen Indonesia's ability to trace, freeze, seize, and forfeit assets linked to criminal activity, including corruption. It would also establish procedures for managing confiscated assets and returning them to the state or other rightful parties.
First submitted to the House in 2008, the bill has faced years of delays and disagreements over its provisions. Deliberations resumed in 2026 amid growing public pressure for stronger asset-recovery mechanisms.
Political analyst Bawono Kumoro of Indikator Politik Indonesia said the lawmakers' pledge demonstrated strong political will to complete the legislation.
He rejected claims circulating on social media that lawmakers were opposed to the bill, saying the lengthy deliberations were partly necessary to gather input from the public.
The rally continued into Thursday afternoon, with students and other protesters remaining outside the parliament complex in Senayan.
Police deployed 18,504 personnel across Jakarta amid concerns over a repeat of deadly unrest that followed demonstrations in August and September 2025.
Jakarta police detained 65 people suspected of being affiliated with anarchist groups and seized dozens of weapons and other items that they said could potentially be used to cause violence, start fires, or disrupt public order.