Police Criticized for Halting Legal Process of Election Candidate

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gerindra Party Gen. Secretary Ahmad Muzani criticized the order issued by Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian who asked for any legal processes entangling regional head candidates to be temporarily halted.

“This is a political and legal matter clashing together,” said Muzani at the Parliamentary Complex at Thursday, March 15.

Tito Karnavian gave an order to temporarily halt the legal proceedings of regional heads that have indications of being involved in criminal offenses. The reason was to avoid the electability of regional head candidates being tarnished ahead of the elections.

Read: KPK Braced to Announce Corruption Suspects of Election Candidates

Tito claimed that his decision was related to the principle of justice for every candidate that competes in the simultaneous regional elections (pilkada).

His policy is a stark contrast to what the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) do. The anti-graft agency said that it would announce the identities of regional leader candidates that are guilty of corruption. Muzani said that KPK has succeeded to place itself as an institution that cannot be intervened.

The Gerindra General Secretary said that the government is merely maintaining the country’s political stability towards the upcoming regional election, which he argues is erasing the principle of everyone is equal before the law.

Arkhelaus Wisnu Triyogo