Constitutional Court ruling on former officials' pensions prompts Golkar to push for special parliamentary committee discussion

Jakarta – Golkar party chief executive board chairman Zulfikar Arse has called for a review of Law No. 12 of 1980 concerning pensions for former state officials, following a Constitutional Court (MK) ruling on partial challenges to the legislation.

Arse supported revising the law to align it with current developments following the Constitutional Court’s decision. “This is what the Constitutional Court’s ruling should also evaluate. We will see later. In my view, from a time perspective, the law also needs to be revised because it is far too old. It should perhaps be adapted to current developments, adjusted to public aspirations, and adapted to how the finances, protocol, and administration of state officials are handled more proportionally,” Arse told journalists at Golkar’s central office on Wednesday, 18 March 2026.

Arse, who is also deputy chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives, subsequently urged the formation of a special parliamentary committee (pansus) to discuss a new law on pensions for former officials. “This would be more appropriate where? Perhaps in Commission XI and II. If possible, a special committee would be better,” he said. “This way we can hear more diverse aspirations from the House members themselves,” Arse added.

The Constitutional Court previously ruled that Law No. 12 of 1980, which regulates pension rights for leaders and members of high state institutions including the People’s Consultative Assembly and House of Representatives, is incompatible with the constitution unless amended within two years. “If replacement is not carried out after that two-year period has expired, Law No. 12 of 1980 becomes incompatible with the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and does not have permanent binding legal force,” according to the court’s statement.

The court found that the law had lost relevance due to new developments in state administration, noting that it no longer aligned with the structure of state institutions under the 1945 Constitution. Law No. 12 of 1980 was drafted based on constitutional principles prior to constitutional amendments, specifically the 1945 Constitution and House Speaker Decision No. III/MPR/1978.

The law was originally designed to consolidate various regulations governing the financial and administrative rights of leaders and members of state institutions and their predecessors.