Minister Tjahtanto noted in his statement here on Thursday that the ministry urged the police, prosecutor's office, and the military in Maluku, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan to prepare preventive measures against criminal violations.
"The government encourages to prioritize the prevention of criminal acts," Tjahjanto noted in his statement, as read by his aide in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
He explained that all stakeholders, including the Integrated Law Enforcement Center (Gakkumdu), must apply mitigation steps to prevent criminal actions during the implementation of Pilkada, especially in vulnerable areas.
Tjahjanto, in the same speech, pointed out that the practice of money politics is a criminal violation that often occurs during the election stages.
To this end, he urged law enforcement officials and the General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) to actively issue appeals and remind the public to abstain from choosing a specific candidate merely on grounds of having received money from that person.
"Preventing money politics is better than waiting for it to happen," he emphasized.
He also called on law enforcement officials and Bawaslu to use the Gakkumdu Coordination Forum as a platform to equalize their perceptions, especially on norms and patterns of handling criminal acts in Pilkada.
"Communication and coordination are keys to preventing differences in interpretation and handling of criminal acts that can confuse the justice-seeking community," he remarked.
He said that the public's concern about political interference in law enforcement, especially when entering the regional head election, must serve as a reminder for officials to continue to work professionally.
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Translator: Genta M, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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