Former house speaker Setya Novanto moved from supermax prison over concerns about his comfort

This picture taken on November 19, 2017 shows Parliament speaker Setya Novanto (in orange) being escorted by officials from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta. / AFP PHOTO / RAHMAT KASUBA
This picture taken on November 19, 2017 shows Parliament speaker Setya Novanto (in orange) being escorted by officials from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta. / AFP PHOTO / RAHMAT KASUBA

About one month ago, corruption convict Setya Novanto — the formerly “invincible” house speaker who was sentenced to 15 years in prison last year on corruption charges — was moved from the notoriously cushy Sukamiskin prison for corruption convicts to the super maximum security Gunung Sindur Detention Center after getting photographed at a luxury shopping center without police guard, allegedly after he evaded his security detail after receiving treatment at a hospital.

But Novanto’s drastic downgrade in detention centers didn’t last long. Authorities have confirmed the ex-Golkar party chief has been returned to Sukamiskin prison, in part over concerns that the politician was scared and uncomfortable being surrounded by the inmates in the supermax prison, many of whom are drug and terrorist convicts.

“Yes, the person concerned (Setya Novanto) felt uncomfortable,” said the head of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights Correctional Division in West Java, Abdul Aris, as quoted by Detik today. 

According to Abdul, Novanto was not comfortable with the conditions at the prison and felt alienated around the terrorist prisoners. 

“Maybe because their characters are different,” Abdul speculated.

However, Abdul did say there were other factors in their decision to return Novanto to Sukamiskin. The correctional division head said the former house speaker had behaved well during his time in Gunung Sindur and that there were concerns for his health as well.

Finally, Abdul said that Novanto had realized his prior mistake (of escaping from his security detail at the hospital) and intended to make up for them. 

Last month, after the photograph of Novanto walking around freely with his wife at a shopping center in Bandung went viral on social media, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) acted quickly, transferring Novanto to Gunung Sindur the very same day the photo was taken.

According to officials, Setya had received permission to leave Sukamiskin to get a medical examination at nearby Santosa Hospital in Bandung, accompanied by two prison officers. Doctors at the hospital recommended that he be immediately hospitalized for treatment.

After receiving treatment and undergoing observation, the hospital cleared Novanto to leave. According to prison officials, the officers guarding the former House speaker allowed Novanto to go to a different floor of the hospital to take care of payment and administrative matters with his family. When Novanto did not return after 10 minutes, the officers went to go look for him but could not find him. They conducted a search but couldn’t find him until he supposedly returned to the hospital of his own accord around 6pm.

Soon after, the photos of Novanto at the shopping center started to spread on social media, but prison officials insist that Novanto was going to be severely punished even before the photos got out. The guards assigned to watching him are also being investigated for possible wrongdoing (although we haven’t seen any updates on that investigation since).

Novanto is bound to be much more comfortable back in Sukamiskin, a prison most notorious for the luxurious facilities it allowed wealthy corruption convicts to purchase with bribes. During a raid by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Sukamiskin in July 2018, Novanto was one of many inmates found to be living in “cells” that looked more like hotel rooms, complete with amenities including tasteful furniture sets, refrigerators, AC, flat screen TVs, private bathrooms and showers.

Novanto was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty in a huge graft case involving the country’s electronic ID card program. He was detained by the KPK after faking a car accident and injuries in an attempt to avoid arrest.



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