Ad Hoc Judge Allowances Increased, UGM's Pukat: Treated Equally with Career Judges

JAKARTA - The Director of the Anti-Corruption Study Centre (Pukat) at the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Oce Madril, views the presidential policy to increase allowances for ad hoc judges as worthy of appreciation. From a welfare perspective, Oce believes that ad hoc judges indeed require treatment equal to that of career judges. “Because in principle, they are exercising judicial power that needs to be safeguarded in its independence. Welfare allowances constitute a form of financial independence guarantee provided by the state to judges,” Oce told Kompas.com on Tuesday (5/5/2026). “Ad hoc judges are demanded to serve as balancers and control mechanisms against overly formalistic judicial processes that can distance justice,” he stated. Oce added that various recent viral law enforcement cases have led the public to question fair law enforcement in Indonesia. From small cases to corruption cases in SOEs/Ministries. “There are critical questions about how law enforcement officials process a case. Ad hoc judges are expected to correct unfair methods,” he emphasised. After the allowance increase is granted, he continued, ad hoc judges must in future dare to commit to examining and deciding cases through fair trials, as well as correcting unfair methods by law enforcers (criminalisation) at times. The government previously officially increased the allowances for ad hoc judges. This decision is enshrined in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) of the Republic of Indonesia Number 5 of 2026 on the Financial Rights and Facilities of Ad Hoc Judges.