Indonesian Ombudsman Ethics Panel Recommends Internal Selection of Members

The Indonesian Ombudsman’s Ethics Panel has recommended that future members be selected internally, akin to other independent institutions. Chair of the panel, Jimly Asshiddiqie, stated that leaders of independent bodies such as the Constitutional Court (MK), Judicial Commission (KY), and General Election Commission (KPU) are typically chosen by their own members. “So it’s not as complicated as it is now. Right? Because the chair is elected internally,” Jimly said at a press conference in Jakarta on Friday. He explained that the recommendation could be proposed as part of the Draft Bill (RUU) on the Ombudsman’s Issue Inventory List (DIM), which is already in the national legislative programme (prolegnas). Currently, the Ombudsman’s leadership is selected by the House of Representatives (DPR), following a screening by a selection committee (pansel) based on candidates proposed by the president. He argued that the current selection process is vulnerable to short-term political influences and could undermine long-term national integrity. “If the Ombudsman’s leadership were chosen from within its own members, it would be more independent than at present,” he said. “Don’t let external transactional arrangements dictate when political parties are so hegemonic. This endangers all independent state institutions, which are all experiencing unhealthy politicisation,” he added. However, if the Ombudsman’s members continue to be selected via the current mechanism, Jimly hopes the recruitment system through the pansel must be reviewed. Not just for the Ombudsman, he believes all independent institutions should re-evaluate their recruitment systems to align with the original purpose of the pansel: to truly find the best leaders, not just for formality. “From past experience, it hasn’t been like that. There are too many government representatives. The political environment is not conducive, making it troublesome,” Jimly said.