Experts Say Political Parties are Subsidised by the State, the Public Has the Right to Scrutinise Repeatedly Elected Party Leaders
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Executive Director of Indikator Politik Indonesia, Burhanuddin Muhtadi, reminded that the public has the right to scrutinise mechanisms within political parties, even though each party has its own internal rules.
Burhanuddin stated that political parties receive subsidies from the state, which come from the people, so the public also has the right to scrutinise political parties, including regarding party chairmen who can be elected multiple times.
“It is true that parties have their own internal household matters. However, as long as public funds enter the party, manifested through state subsidies for parties, there is a public right to scrutinise what happens within the party,” said Burhanuddin when met at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Ciputat, on Thursday (23/4/2026).
He emphasised that political parties are institutions with a significant role in the election of public officials, so they cannot be privatised by those within the party.
“So, even though it is an internal party matter, as long as it involves public affairs as seen from our constitution and laws, parties are heavily involved in public affairs, so parties should be regulated by the public,” Burhanuddin continued.
He reiterated that political parties are not entities immune from public affairs, given the state subsidies involved.
“Parties are given a great deal of discretion by the constitution and laws to speak and regulate public affairs. Because parties are public entities, the processes within parties cannot be separated from public affairs,” said Burhanuddin.
Previously, several political parties responded negatively to the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) proposal regarding the term of office of party chairmen, maximum two management periods.
The KPK’s proposal is contained in the 2025 report of the KPK Monitoring Directorate on political party governance, which found that there is no integrated cadre development system standard yet.
Based on these findings, the KPK recommends that the term of office of party chairmen be maximum two management periods.
“To ensure cadre development runs smoothly, regulation of the leadership term limit for party chairmen to a maximum of two management periods is needed,” stated the KPK Monitoring Directorate on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
“Whether two, three periods or forever, that is the decision of each political party. That is the right of political parties, so it cannot be interfered with,” said NasDem General Treasurer Ahmad Sahroni when contacted on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Saleh Partaonan Daulay, said that the anti-corruption agency should not enter the realm of political parties.
According to Saleh, the ideal term of office for party chairmen should be left to each party.
“The KPK is expected not to interfere in regulating technical matters in political parties. Because political parties are political institutions that already have AD/ART as guidelines and internal legal basis for activities. If regulated further, it is feared it will cause noise and uproar,” he said.