TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation and Human Rights (PBHI), Julius Ibrani, assesses that the Supreme Court (MA) reform seems to have been overlooked amidst the recent 17+8 people's demands and other demonstration requests.
The wave of demonstrations in late August to early September 2025 demanded the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) and the government to improve. This was to be done by reforming the performance of the legislative and executive branches.
"However, the public, with their 17+8 people's demands, has overlooked the central role of the third pillar in national life, which is the judiciary or the judicial body," said Julius in an official statement on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. According to the constitution, the judiciary is carried out by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court.
According to Julius, reforming the Supreme Court seems to have been overlooked. However, he continued, this institution has been undermined from within by its own elements, leading to the loss of public trust in the Supreme Court.
Julius then highlighted the bribery case involving former Supreme Court official Zarof Ricar. The Attorney General's investigators found nearly 1 trillion in cash and dozens of kilograms of gold. In addition, several judges in the District Courts of Central Jakarta, South Jakarta, and Surabaya were also arrested for alleged bribery.
"All of this happened in less than 10 months and under the leadership of the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sunarto," said Julius.
He pointed out that the public should realize that the Supreme Court is the highest judicial body. The Supreme Court is also equal and plays an equally important role as the government and the DPR.
Therefore, the Supreme Court cannot be plagued by bribery issues from year to year. "Even the current trend, every 6 months, there are always bribery and corruption cases involving Supreme Court officials," said Julius.
He then highlighted the Supreme Court judges who have had problems, such as the Chief of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court, Prim Haryadi, who was summoned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) four times in the bribery case of former Secretary General of the Supreme Court, Hasbi Hasan.
In addition, Julius highlighted the Chief of the Supervisory Chamber of the Supreme Court, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, who as the head of the panel acquitted former Supreme Court judge Gazalba Saleh in a bribery case. The Supreme Court judge also reduced Gazalba's sentence in the decision to review the case of money laundering crimes.
In the current Chief Justice's era or at least during Sunarto's term as Vice Chair, continued Julius, many Supreme Court officials have been caught. They were arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission or the Attorney General.
"Even since Indonesia's independence, there has been no history of more than one Supreme Court judge being arrested simultaneously by the KPK in a bribery case," Julius continued. "Not even a year later, judges in the Surabaya District Court were caught in a corruption case related to the release of a murder convict."
Julius believes that reforming the Supreme Court could begin with the election of the Non-Judicial Vice Chairman of the Supreme Court. This election was held on September 10, 2025, which he suspects was intentionally held discreetly to escape public notice.
However, the Non-Judicial Vice Chair of the Supreme Court oversees budgets, development, operations, research, and supervision. "This is a sacred position that should not be filled by individuals with problems, Supreme Court judges frequently summoned by the KPK, or Supreme Court judges who reduced corruption rulings or even acquitted corruption convicts," said Julius.
Julius believes that the public has had enough of the numerous corruptions that have occurred in the judiciary. He urges the Supreme Court to seek a leader with integrity, courage, and free from past corruption cases.
"It is truly terrifying if a judiciary institution as prestigious as the Supreme Court continues to make national newspaper headlines not with achievements, but with one corruption case after another in this republic," said Julius.
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