Analysis: Pay it back, walk free Prabowo's corruption dilemma - Academia

Imagine a corrupt official who has stolen billions of rupiah from state coffers. Under a proposal floated by President Prabowo Subianto, that official could walk free, no conviction, no prison, simply by handing the money back. It sounds like restitution; critics say it looks a lot like a pardon with a price tag. The proposal, outlined in Prabowo's Aug. 14 State of the Nation Address, would offer amnesty to corruptors who return stolen state funds. It has reignited a debate that cuts to the heart of his presidency: Is Indonesia's war on corruption for real, or is it starting to look negotiable?