Attorney General Mandates to Halt Investigation on the 2024 General Elections Candidates

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin mandated Deputy Attorney General on Intelligence Affairs and Special Crimes Affairs to halt the investigations on presidential, regional, and legislative candidates ahead of the 2024 general elections.

The mandate was provided in the Attorney General's memorandum and quoted in the official statement released by the Chairman of the Legal Information Center of the AGO, I Ketut Sumedana, on Sunday, August 20, 2023. The Attorney General asked to sort the report on alleged corruption involving the election candidates carefully to avoid a "black campaign". 

"The measure is taken to anticipate the misuse of law enforcement as a political gain for certain parties," said Burhanuddin, as quoted in his official statement on Sunday, August 20, 2023.

The Attorney General also asked the intelligence unit to map the threat, hindrances, and challenges of the upcoming election as a form of detection and early warning measure.

"[The office will] conduct strategic measures to realize a lawful general election," Burhanuddin said.

Burhanuddin instructed the general crimes affairs unit to identify and inventory all crime potential before, during, and after the election to prevent any disparity in handling criminal cases. 

The Attorney General reminds the units that the prosecutors ought to be active, collaborative, and coordinative in processing any general crimes or corruption allegations against the election candidates. 

In addition, Burhanuddin also asked the members of his office to stay neutral during the election. According to Burhanuddin, the instruction is in line with the Daily Instruction of Attorney General 2023. "The attorney general's office has to honor and maintain neutrality by refraining from taking sides or affiliating with any and all political parties or political interest, especially in carrying out their functional duties, especially law enforcement," he added.

Approaching the general election, Burhanuddin said, hoaxes are more rampant, fuelling public anxiety on the rising polarization. "This is common in democratic countries, However, if we let it festers without any sort of mitigation, it could transform into a horizontal conflict threatening the nation's unity," he concluded.

EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA

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