The Faculty of Law at Gadjah Mada University (FH UGM) once again demonstrated its role in strengthening the national legal discourse through its participation in the National Seminar Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office. The seminar was held at Yogyakarta State University on Thursday, August 21, 2025. The theme of the event was “Optimizing the ‘Follow the Asset’ and ‘Follow the Money’ Approaches through Deferred Prosecution Agreements in the Handling of Criminal Cases”.
One of the main speakers was Dr. Muhammad Fatahillah Akbar, S.H., LL.M., a lecturer in the Department of Criminal Law at the Faculty of Law, UGM. In his presentation, Dr. Akbar highlighted the legal policy on out-of-court settlement of criminal disputes within the Indonesian criminal justice system. He emphasized the importance of the proposed Draft Code of Criminal Procedure (RKUHAP) in further optimizing the “follow the asset” and “follow the money” approaches in case handling, as well as opening opportunities for the implementation of Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) in Indonesia.
The participation of the UGM Faculty of Law in this forum demonstrates the active role of academic institutions in contributing critical thinking to legal reform in Indonesia. Cross-institutional discussions among the prosecutor’s office, the courts, and universities are expected to enrich the design of future criminal law policies.
Furthermore, the Faculty of Law at UGM’s participation in this seminar also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). Through concepts such as restorative justice, transparency, and the recovery of state assets, this academic discourse helps strengthen accountable legal governance that is responsive to global challenges. Synergy between the academic world and law enforcement agencies is a strategic step toward building a more inclusive, fair, and sustainable criminal justice system.
