Deputy Speaker of DPR Urges MPR to Be Selective in Choosing Quiz Competition Judges
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal, has urged the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) to evaluate the negligence of judges in assessing the MPR’s Four Pillars Quiz Competition in West Kalimantan. The politician from the National Awakening Party stated that such oversights by the judges should not occur.
As an MPR member, he has also lodged a protest with the General Secretariat to be more selective in appointing the panel of judges. “How can the same answer receive different scores? Anyway, we as MPR members have conveyed a protest to the MPR General Secretariat to appoint proper judges,” said Cucun at the DPR/MPR complex in Jakarta on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.
The MPR’s Four Pillars Quiz Competition on 9 May 2026 sparked controversy because the judging panel did not provide fair assessments to two finalist teams. The incident began when three finalists—SMA Negeri 1 Pontianak, SMA Negeri 1 Sambas, and SMA Negeri 1 Sanggau—competed to answer the question: ‘In selecting BPK members, the DPR must consider input from which institution?’
Team C from SMA Negeri 1 Pontianak answered first, stating that members of the Financial Audit Board are selected by the House of Representatives, taking into account the input of the Regional Representative Council, and are inaugurated by the President.
Judge Dyastasita deemed the answer insufficiently precise and awarded a minus 5 score. Dyastasita is the Head of the Evaluation Bureau of the MPR General Secretariat.
The same question was then posed again to the forum, and Team B from SMA Negeri 1 Sambas took the opportunity, answering that members of the Financial Audit Board are selected by the House of Representatives, taking into account the input of the Regional Representative Council, and are inaugurated by the President.
The judging panel ruled this answer correct and awarded SMA Negeri 1 Sambas 10 points. This prompted protests from participants of SMA Negeri 1 Pontianak, who had given the same answer first.
However, the judges reasoned that SMA Negeri 1 Pontianak did not mention the phrase “input of the DPD”. This was refuted by Team C participants. The debate went viral on social media after a clip of the scoring was reposted by users.
One of the judges, Indri Wahyuni, highlighted the importance of accuracy in participants’ articulation when delivering answers. “Articulation is important. The judges assess based on what is clearly heard. If it is not heard clearly, the judges have the right to deduct points,” said Indri Wahyuni.
According to the MPR website, Indri Wahyuni currently serves as the Head of the Secretariat Section of the MPR Socialisation Agency. MPR Secretary General Siti Fauziah stated that her institution is investigating the details of the scoring controversy in the competition.
The MPR, according to Siti, will conduct a thorough evaluation of the technical aspects of the competition to promote a transparent and accountable scoring system. Several aspects to be evaluated include the scoring mechanism, clarity of answer articulation, answer verification system, and handling of objections in the competition.
“Public input will be an important evaluation material to maintain the quality of activities and public trust in the inclusive, educational, and integrity-driven national learning process,” said Siti in a written message on Monday night.