Attorney General: I Need Prosecutors Who Are Smart And Have Integrity

JAKARTA - Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin reminded that new prosecutors should encourage changes in work ethic, not abuse their authority, and not be tempted to commit disgraceful acts so that they become smart prosecutors and have integrity.

"I have often said, I don't need prosecutors who are smart but immoral, and I also don't need prosecutors who are smart but have no integrity. What I need are prosecutors who are smart and have integrity," said the Attorney General, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 15.

The Attorney General inaugurated 459 new prosecutors and at the same time closed the Education and Training for the Formation of Prosecutors (PPPJ) Class LXXVIII (78) 2021, at the Sasana Adhi Karya Hall of the Indonesian Attorney's Education and Training Agency, Ragunan, South Jakarta which was carried out online and offline.

In his mandate, the Attorney General conveyed the challenges of the tasks carried out by Adhyaksa personnel, including the authority possessed after the issuance of the latest Prosecutor Law.

The Attorney General said that integrity, intellectuality, and professionalism are fortresses to avoid despicable acts.

"As a law enforcer, you should take the oath and promise you just said with all your heart, so that you can fulfill the oath and promise in every task you carry out," said Burhanuddin.

According to Burhanuddin, after participating in the PPPJ, all new prosecutors are required to develop their own capacity through experiences in field assignments.

The new prosecutor was reminded to adapt and synergize with the new work environment which is the key to success.

"The new prosecutor should encourage a change in work ethic, not abuse his authority, and be tempted to commit disgraceful acts," said the Attorney General.

To the new prosecutor, Burhanuddin also said that the challenges of the times demanded an increase in the professional standard of the prosecutor's human resources. Prosecutors are required not only to have a bachelor's degree (S-1), but ideally to take postgraduate level.

This level of education is important, said Burhanuddin. Because he believes that among the new prosecutors there will be a candidate for the future leader of the AGO, who will continue the baton.

"To be able to reach this position, you are required not only to be proficient in the technical field, but also to have a capable leadership spirit, as well as reliable managerial skills," he said.

The next challenge, said Burhanuddin, is the era of disruption, in which innovation and massive changes occur that fundamentally change all existing systems, arrangements and 'landscapes' in new ways.

He reminded that the rapid growth of digitalization of systems in all sectors and the presence of artificial intelligence radically replaced human functions, an era in which humans were forced to compete with robots.

Therefore, as new prosecutors, prosecutors who were born in this millennial and digital era, are expected to realize, understand, and master the procedures and ways of living in the new world, including the potential legal conflicts of the new world order.

"I believe our law has not been able to reach this problem. I really hope that you prosecutors can only and are able to become a bridge that connects law enforcement officers entering the metaverse era to guard and ensure legal order in cyberspace," said Burhanuddin.

Regarding the latest Prosecutor Law, Burhanuddin said the Bill on Amendments to Law Number 16 of 2004 concerning the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Indonesia had been ratified, to be precise on December 7, 2021, with several points of strengthening and affirmation, particularly related to the "dominus litis" principle of the prosecutor's office.

All prosecutors are asked to study and understand the law, so that they can carry out their mandate properly in accordance with the rules and objectives of the law.

The new prosecutors are also reminded to educate the public on the new rules contained in the regulation, so that it can be understood that the prosecutor's authority is more than just a prosecution agency, and not only what is stated in the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).

"Because we actually have a very broad authority, which is spread over various kinds of laws and regulations and international law provisions," said Attorney General Burhanuddin.