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New Attorney General dismisses concerns over political affiliation

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Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2019

Fana Suparman & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Newly appointed Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin denied links with any political parties on Wednesday, despite his older brother, Tubagus Hasanuddin, being an executive of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P.

He vowed to work professionally at the helm of the country's prosecution service. "We have received orders and we are professional. There are no relatives, nothing," Burhanuddin said at the Attorney General's Office in South Jakarta.

He said in a democracy such as Indonesia, a man may even have different political views from his spouse.

"In the same home, it is possible that the husband supports a different party from his wife," he said. "I am not from any political party, so I have no problem whatsoever on this issue. I will work as a professional."

Burhanuddin previously served as deputy attorney general for civil and state administrative cases. He replaces H.M. Prasetyo, who was widely criticized for his connections with the National Democratic Party (NasDem).

Seventeen of the 38 ministers and state agency heads inaugurated at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday represent political parties.

The PDI-P has five members in the cabinet, while the National Awakening Party (PKB), Golkar and NasDem have three each.

The Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), once considered the main opposition, has two cabinet posts, with its chairman, Prabowo Subianto, having been appointed as defense minister.

Prabowo ran against Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in both the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections. The United Development Party (PPP) has one cabinet post.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/new-attorney-general-dismisses-concerns-over-political-affiliation

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