Police Plans to Form Task Force to Monitor Money Politics

General Tito Karnavian, chief of Indonesia’s national police force, speaks to journalists in Jakarta

Jakarta, MINA – National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian revealed his plan to set up a task force at the Criminal Investigation Agency to monitor and curb money politics in the upcoming regional elections.

“We plan to form the task force to serve as a deterrent to the community and candidates (contesting) for (the posts of) regional heads who will engage in money politics,” Antara News quoted Karnavian as saying here on Friday.

He claimed to have communicated with the leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) that welcomed the plan to form the task force.

According to Karnavian, the task force will oversee the regional elections to prevent the occurrence of money politics.

Karnavian said the police will handle cases that do not come under the realm of the antigraft body, such as state officials of echelon I and II.

“If the suspect we catch can be handled by the KPK, we will let it to do so,” the national police chief clarified.

Karnavian explained that the task force needed to be formed, as there were still several cases of money politics involving candidates for regional heads and legislative members due to the high political costs. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency )MINA)