Residents in Sukena’s village have expressed their support for him, believing that porcupines are not rare but potentially even pests. Lawmaker Mrs. Rieke Diah Pitaloka, from Indonesia’s ruling party, compared Sukena’s arrest to corruption cases, which, despite being damaging to the state, have lighter sentences. She called for the case to be viralized and for people to help in the struggle to free Sukena, citing the leniency of sentences for corruption cases compared to his charges.
Mrs. Rieke, who was one of the guarantors for Sukena’s suspended detention, highlighted the discrepancy in sentences between Sukena’s charges for keeping porcupines and the light sentence for a corruption case involving billions of rupiah. Another member of parliament, Nyoman Parta, expressed hope for a lenient sentence for Sukena due to his good intentions of preserving the porcupines by keeping them and even using them for traditional ceremonies. Legal experts such as Albert Aries and Hardjuno Wiwoho have criticized the excessive legal application in Sukena’s case, arguing that he should be acquitted or at least released.
The Indonesian government protects the Javan porcupine, considering it as a threatened species due to poaching and loss of natural habitat. With an estimated 300,000 species of wildlife in Indonesia, including protected animals like the Javan porcupine, awareness efforts need to be intensified. The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry has highlighted the need to educate the public on protected animals to prevent cases like Sukena’s, where he was faced with a five-year charge for keeping porcupines that were well cared for and even used for traditional ceremonies.
Experts like Albert Aries and Hardjuno Wiwoho emphasize the importance of applying the principle of justice in cases like Sukena’s, rather than just following the black-and-white rules of the law. They argue that Sukena should be acquitted or released due to his good intentions and the care he provided to the porcupines. Members of parliament like Nyoman Parta also advocate for a lenient sentence for Sukena, given his efforts to preserve the porcupines and utilize them in cultural activities.
While the protection of endangered species like the Javan porcupine is vital in Indonesia, cases like Sukena’s highlight the need for public awareness on the rules regarding protected animals. The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry seeks to intensify information efforts for protected animals following Sukena’s case, to prevent similar misunderstandings or legal issues in the future. With numerous species of wildlife at risk in Indonesia, education and awareness campaigns play a crucial role in conservation efforts and preventing harm to protected animals like the Javan porcupine.
