Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud Md laid bare five challenges encountered by the Money Laundering Crime Task Force (TPPU Task Force) in their pursuit of investigating suspicious transactions uncovered by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), including. missing or non-existent reported documents, procedural discrepancies in handling cases, and investigations that fail to target the criminal dimension. "Reported documents are either nonexistent or untraceable. Second, these documents are often inauthentic, sometimes mere photocopies or gleaned from the internet, raising suspicions of forgery," he said during a press conference in Jakarta on Monday (11/9/2023), where he serves as the Chairman of the TPPU Task Force Steering Committee. Mahfud lamented that the outcomes of these investigations, which encompass both criminal and administrative disciplinary actions, often find resolution only within the administrative domain. "Criminal elements are left unaddressed," he emphasized. Furthermore, he disclosed that several agencies have been non-compliant with technical protocols when pursuing the analysis report (LHA) and examination report (LHP) from PPATK. "Many institutions fail to adhere to the internationally provided technical guidelines for combating money laundering," Mahfud was quoted by antaranews.com as saying. The minister pointed out instances where the discretion of authorized officials has played a significant role. "Discretion often serves as a refuge, with individuals choosing not to proceed. We will scrutinize who granted this discretion and for what reason," Mahfud said. Discretion, he said, can be legally justified as long as there are tangible benefits. "The law encompasses certainty, fairness, and expediency. However, our focus is on investigating whether these claims are valid, who sought this discretion, and for what purpose. This information cannot be disclosed at this time," he said Despite these formidable challenges, the minister affirmed that the TPPU Task Force remains committed to exploring the follow-up on 300 LHA and LHP reports submitted by PPATK to various agencies within the Ministry of Finance , as well as law enforcement entities such as the police and prosecutors. Mahfud pointed out that some of these reports had been followed up by the relevant agencies but were never reported back to PPATK, thus perpetuating the problems. It was also revealed that there are several pending reports requiring further action since they have not yet been completed. "Based on our records, proper follow-up has not taken place, necessitating further action. Some are currently in progress, including those with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the prosecutor's office, the police, and in various court proceedings. Others require in-depth investigation," he emphasized. The TPPU Task Force, which was initiated by the minister in May 2023, has been assigned with investigating suspicious transactions detailed in 300 PPATK reports. These reports, submitted to the Ministry of Finance and law enforcement agencies, encompass transactions totaling Rp349 trillion. Within just a month of its establishment, the TPPU Task Force identified 18 priority reports for investigation due to their substantial value, constituting 80 percent of the total transactions or Rp281.6 trillion. Out of these 18 reports, 10 have been forwarded by PPATK to the Directorate General of Customs (DJBC) of the Ministry of Finance, the Directorate General of Taxes of the Ministry of Finance, and the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Finance. The remaining eight reports have been relayed by PPATK to the police and prosecutors. The TPPU Task Force, bolstered by a team of 12 experts, has been assigned to operate until December 31, 2023, with the mandate to investigate 300 suspicious transaction reports issued by PPATK.