Government Urged to Investigate the Flow of Drug Funds to Political Parties in the 2024 Election

CNN Indonesia

Thursday, May 25 2023 10:30 WIB

Jakarta, CNNIndonesia —

The Voter Education Network for the People (JPPR) urges the Government Joko Widodo seriously reveal the perpetrators and political parties (political parties) that are suspected of obtaining political funds for 2024 election from the narcotics network.

It was deemed necessary to disclose this immediately in order to provide transparency regarding the backgrounds of legislative candidates and political parties to voters.

“We urge the government through the National Narcotics Agency and Bareskrim to be able to uncover who did it. Today’s momentum is right to provide the widest possible information to the public, because it coincides with the registration of legislative candidates so that people are expected to be able to make choices based on existing realities,” said JPPR National Coordinator Nurlia Dian Paramita to CNNIndonesia.comThursday (25/5).

He also urged the Government to be indiscriminate in imposing punishments on political parties and actors involved and ensuring transparency in the law enforcement process to the public.

“Law enforcement does not discriminate. Even with political parties and board members. This case must be resolved openly so that the public knows,” Mita added.

Furthermore, Mita considers this phenomenon to be a signal of the failure of political parties in providing political education and the weakening of political parties in controlling the internal situation.

Therefore, he hopes that this moment can be used to reform and democratize political parties.

“Reform and democratize political parties so that political parties are not controlled by individuals who only control economic capital, let alone generated through illegal means such as the drug business,” explained Mita.

Previously, Bareskrim Polri claimed to have found indications of a flow of narcotics funds which were allegedly used in political contestation in the 2024 election. Deputy Director for Narcotics Crime at Bareskrim Polri Kombes Jayadi said the findings revealed the following arrests which were previously carried out against a number of members of the legislature in several regions.

“Based on the results of arrests by members of legislatures in several regions, it is suspected that funds from illicit narcotics will be used for the 2024 electoral contest,” he told reporters, Wednesday (24/5).

However, he did not specify who the members of the legislature meant. Jayadi only said that currently the ranks of the Directorate of Narcotics Crime were still conducting in-depth investigations. With these findings, Jayadi admitted that Bareskrim Polri had warned all levels in the region to anticipate the flow of drug funds for the 2024 election contestation.

(mab/DAL)