Jokowi on KPK Law Revision: DPR Deputy Speaker Says Public Are Smart Enough to Judge
DPR Deputy Speaker Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal has said the public knows the truth behind former president Joko Widodo's statement regarding the revision of Law Number 19 of 2019 on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Jokowi had previously stated that the revision was initiated by the DPR, not his government.
Cucun stressed that it would be impossible for the DPR to deliberate on any law without receiving a presidential letter (surpres). He expressed confidence that the public could judge for themselves the meaning of the words spoken by the father of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
"The public are smart enough nowadays. He was president at the time — how could the DPR proceed with deliberating a law without a presidential letter?" Cucun said when met at the DPR Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
The Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB) politician declined to comment further, repeating that the public possessed the intelligence to assess Jokowi's statement. Cucun added that DPR Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, had already responded to Jokowi's remarks.
This was done by PKB politician Abdullah, who assessed that there were errors in Jokowi's statement. Abdullah affirmed that every piece of legislation produced by the DPR must be deliberated and approved jointly with the government. In 2019, Abdullah said, Jokowi also sent government representatives to discuss the KPK law revision with parliamentary members.
This is also consistent with Article 20 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution, which stipulates that every draft law shall be deliberated by the DPR and the President for joint approval.
Jokowi had previously responded to a series of questions about the KPK law, which resurfaced after former KPK chairman Abraham Samad proposed that the KPK law be restored to its pre-2019 revision form. Jokowi said he agreed with Abraham Samad's proposal.
Furthermore, the former Jakarta governor stated that the KPK law revision was a DPR initiative, emphasising that it was not the government that proposed the amendment.
"Because that [revision] was previously a DPR initiative. It was indeed at the DPR's initiative at the time," Jokowi said when met after watching a Persis Solo versus Madura United match at Manahan Stadium, Solo, Central Java, on Friday, 13 February 2026.
The former Jakarta governor also asserted that he never signed the KPK law revision. "It was revised, but I did not sign it," he said.
In 2019, the DPR and the government agreed to revise the KPK law. The resulting revision effectively weakened the KPK. For instance, although the commission was declared to remain independent, the KPK was placed under the executive branch. All KPK employees were also converted to civil servant (ASN) status.
Additionally, the KPK was given the authority to halt investigations and prosecutions. The KPK was also required to seek permission from the KPK Supervisory Board — a body created as a result of the revision — when conducting sting operations, seizures, and searches.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) characterised Jokowi's statement as an attempt to wash his hands of responsibility, as he is considered one of the principal architects of the KPK's weakening. ICW's Head of Legal and Investigation Division, Wana Alamsyah, explained that Jokowi issued a presidential letter and delegated the Ministry of Law and Human Rights as well as the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform to deliberate the KPK law revision on 11 September 2019.
Cucun stressed that it would be impossible for the DPR to deliberate on any law without receiving a presidential letter (surpres). He expressed confidence that the public could judge for themselves the meaning of the words spoken by the father of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
"The public are smart enough nowadays. He was president at the time — how could the DPR proceed with deliberating a law without a presidential letter?" Cucun said when met at the DPR Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
The Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB) politician declined to comment further, repeating that the public possessed the intelligence to assess Jokowi's statement. Cucun added that DPR Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, had already responded to Jokowi's remarks.
This was done by PKB politician Abdullah, who assessed that there were errors in Jokowi's statement. Abdullah affirmed that every piece of legislation produced by the DPR must be deliberated and approved jointly with the government. In 2019, Abdullah said, Jokowi also sent government representatives to discuss the KPK law revision with parliamentary members.
This is also consistent with Article 20 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution, which stipulates that every draft law shall be deliberated by the DPR and the President for joint approval.
Jokowi had previously responded to a series of questions about the KPK law, which resurfaced after former KPK chairman Abraham Samad proposed that the KPK law be restored to its pre-2019 revision form. Jokowi said he agreed with Abraham Samad's proposal.
Furthermore, the former Jakarta governor stated that the KPK law revision was a DPR initiative, emphasising that it was not the government that proposed the amendment.
"Because that [revision] was previously a DPR initiative. It was indeed at the DPR's initiative at the time," Jokowi said when met after watching a Persis Solo versus Madura United match at Manahan Stadium, Solo, Central Java, on Friday, 13 February 2026.
The former Jakarta governor also asserted that he never signed the KPK law revision. "It was revised, but I did not sign it," he said.
In 2019, the DPR and the government agreed to revise the KPK law. The resulting revision effectively weakened the KPK. For instance, although the commission was declared to remain independent, the KPK was placed under the executive branch. All KPK employees were also converted to civil servant (ASN) status.
Additionally, the KPK was given the authority to halt investigations and prosecutions. The KPK was also required to seek permission from the KPK Supervisory Board — a body created as a result of the revision — when conducting sting operations, seizures, and searches.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) characterised Jokowi's statement as an attempt to wash his hands of responsibility, as he is considered one of the principal architects of the KPK's weakening. ICW's Head of Legal and Investigation Division, Wana Alamsyah, explained that Jokowi issued a presidential letter and delegated the Ministry of Law and Human Rights as well as the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform to deliberate the KPK law revision on 11 September 2019.