Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s pledge to construct a remote island prison for corrupt officials has been met with scepticism from experts, who argued that deeper structural reforms of the prison system were needed to address chronic overcrowding and underfunding.
“We will expel [corruptors] from the land of Indonesia if necessary. I will also set aside funds for [building] a very sturdy prison in a remote place where they cannot get out. We will look for an island where, if they get out, they will meet the sharks,” Prabowo said in a speech on March 13, without elaborating on the source of the funds.