JK Believes Law on State Officials' Pension Needs Amendment, Highlights DPR as Political Position

Jakarta - Former Vice President of Indonesia (10th and 12th) Jusuf Kalla (JK) stated that the regulations on pensions for state officials, such as members of the House of Representatives (DPR) RI, should indeed be amended. According to JK, state officials who should receive pensions are those who have served for decades at the bureaucratic level. “Yes (the regulation) must be changed. As I said, if it’s bureaucracy, they always work for decades, 30 years and only work that (as civil servants),” JK said when met at the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Headquarters, Jakarta, on Wednesday (18/3/2026). “DPR is a political position, and if officials (from ministries and other state institutions) get pensions, they have worked for over 30 years. So it’s fair, 30 years,” JK added. In addition, he highlighted that many DPR members have other professions, such as business owners. Therefore, their pension amounts should not be large. “DPR members are politicians, there are entrepreneurs, most in the DPR are entrepreneurs. If they are given pensions, the pension isn’t actually large, but in terms of responsibility, they return to their businesses,” he continued. This decision was read by Chief Justice Suhartoyo in the hearing for the petition numbered 191/PUU-XXIII/2025. The Constitutional Court requested that the lawmakers, in this case the Government and DPR RI, create a new law regarding the financial rights of high state leaders and former high state institution leaders within two years. “Declares that Law Number 12 of 1980 concerning Financial/Administrative Rights of Leaders and Members of the Highest State Institutions as well as Former Leaders of Highest/High State Institutions and Former Members of High State Institutions (State Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia Year 1980 Number 71, Supplement to the State Gazette Number 3182) contradicts the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and has no binding legal force conditionally as long as it is not replaced by a new law within a maximum of 2 (two) years from the pronouncement of this decision,” said Chief Justice Suhartoyo in the hearing held in the Plenary Courtroom of the Constitutional Court, Jakarta, on Monday (16/3/2026). The Constitutional Court firmly requested that the DPR and government form a new law. If not done, the consequence is that financial rights related to DPR pensions will no longer have legal force. “Orders the lawmakers to make the replacement within a maximum period of 2 (two) years from the pronouncement of this decision,” he added.