Dismissal of Immoral and Corrupt Civil Servants: Prabowo Cleans Up PNS with New Regulations

The government of President Prabowo Subianto is conducting a clean-up of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) from practices of corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN), which is one of the government’s efforts to eradicate KKN in Indonesia.

Recently, the Minister for State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB), Rini Widyantini, decided to dismiss 58 ASN for violations, thereby strengthening the decisions of the Personnel Management Officials (PPK).

The dismissal of these 58 ASN was due to findings of 69 violation cases committed by ASN, both civil servants (PNS) and government employees with work agreements (PPPK), in ministries, institutions, and regional governments.

Minister Rini stated that this was discussed in two sessions held on 29 January and March 2026. The aim is to take firm action against ASN who commit disciplinary and behavioural violations.

“The government takes firm action against violations committed by ASN and imposes sanctions, ranging from light, moderate, to severe sanctions such as dismissal from ASN,” she said in a written statement, quoted on Saturday (21/3/2026).

Rini explained that the first session discussed 36 cases, comprising 13 cases of disciplinary violations for not reporting to work, 6 cases of integrity violations, 6 cases of immorality, and 11 cases of criminal corruption.

Meanwhile, the second session discussed 33 cases, including 15 cases of disciplinary violations for not reporting to work, 9 cases of immorality, 5 cases of integrity violations, and 4 cases of criminal corruption.

Subsequently, 31 cases were given the sanction of Honourable Dismissal Not at Own Request (PDHTAPS). Meanwhile, 12 cases were imposed with the sanction of Termination of Employment Agreement with Honourable Dismissal Not at Own Request (PHPK DHTAPS), and 15 cases were given Dishonourable Dismissal (PDTH).

In addition, this year’s sessions also cancelled PPK decisions for 7 cases and mitigated 4 cases by imposing sanctions such as a one-year deferral of periodic salary increases, dismissal from position for 12 months, and demotion by one level for 12 months.

For information, since 2024 until now, the BPASN has discussed a total of 399 cases. In 2024, 173 cases went through BPASN sessions, with absenteeism cases dominating the appeals at 66 cases.

Other types of cases included 27 immorality cases, 25 criminal corruption cases, 35 cases of abuse of authority/integrity violations, and 20 other cases. From the 173 appeals, 2 cases were cancelled, 5 cases were mitigated, and 6 cases had their decisions changed. Meanwhile, for the other 160 appeal cases, the BPASN session results strengthened the PPK Decisions.

Meanwhile, throughout 2025, BPASN has held sessions for 157 cases. Absenteeism cases dominated with 68 cases. In addition, there were 15 immorality cases, 14 criminal corruption cases, 18 cases of abuse of authority/integrity violations, and 42 other cases.

From the 157 appeals in 2025, 6 cases were cancelled, 19 cases were mitigated, and 1 case was aggravated. For the other 131 appeal cases, the BPASN session results strengthened the PPK Decisions.

The government issues new regulations to eradicate KKN in ASN

Not only taking action against ASN proven to have violated, several new regulations have also been issued to realise the eradication of KKN.

Deputy Minister (Wamen) for PANRB, Purwadi Arianto, said the government has issued Minister of PANRB Regulation (PermenPANRB) No. 19 of 2025 on the Implementation of the Merit System in ASN Management. This regulation was issued on 31 December 2025.

“This Ministerial Regulation is established to ensure the realisation of State Civil Apparatus (ASN) that is of integrity, professional, neutral, free from corruption, collusion, nepotism (KKN), and capable of implementing policies and public services effectively,” said Deputy Minister for PANRB Purwadi in a press release, quoted on Saturday (21/3/2026).

Purwadi explained that through this PermenPANRB, the sharpening of merit system implementation going forward is carried out through five aspects. First, strengthening the eight aspects of the merit system is done wholly and integrated in all cycles of ASN management.

The eight aspects of the merit system are planning needs and standardisation of positions; talent management; performance management; competency development; strengthening work culture and institutional image; rewards and recognition; discipline, dismissal, and administrative efforts; and digitalisation of ASN management.

Second, there is a change in orientation in measuring merit system maturity by focusing the measurement on dimensions simultaneously, namely availability, quality, and utilisation.

The third sharpening of the merit system is that the merit system index is produced more objectively, supported by satisfaction and engagement survey instruments for ASN and considering correction factors. “This is done so that the index of measurement results is filtered strictly and proportionally,” he said.

Fourth, the merit system going forward is strongly integrated with talent management, thus becoming the main foundational instrument in position filling, career development, and talent-based succession planning owned by the agency. Finally, or fifth, the strengthening of the merit system is also supported by digitalisation of ASN management and more objective supervision.

“With this sharpening, the merit system is expected not to be understood merely as fulfilling administrative aspects, but truly as an instrument that impacts the improvement of ASN performance quality and organisational performance,” emphasised Purwadi.

Purwadi stressed that the strengthening of the merit system is important after President Prabowo Subianto established the strengthening of ASN management as outlined in the framework of the National Bureaucracy Reform Grand Design (DBRBN) 2025-2045.

In the DBRBN 2025-2045, the government sets the vision of World Class