North Sumatra DJKA Corruption Case Spotlights Judicial Independence and Neutrality

Founder of the Indonesian Centre for Legal and Policy Research (PRPHKI), Saiful Anam, has reminded of the importance of maintaining judicial independence and neutrality in the case of alleged corruption in the North Sumatra Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) project. “Political involvement in the courtroom is highly dangerous as it can damage public trust in judicial institutions,” Saiful Anam told reporters on Sunday, 12 April 2026. This follows testimony from one of the defendants alleging the flow of corrupt funds for political purposes, including the Presidential Election (Pilpres) and the North Sumatra Gubernatorial Election (Pilgub). Anam emphasised that judges must remain steadfast in their objectivity, with judicial independence being the primary pillar in upholding justice. Judges should not side with anyone, especially not become involved in political interests that could harm the legal process. As Anam stated, if judges fail to maintain neutrality and appear biased, the public will not only doubt the resulting decisions but may also lose faith in the judicial institution as a whole. “In such conditions, it is not impossible for the public to morally judge the judges, as they are seen as not fulfilling their mandate properly,” Anam said. Therefore, Anam continued, judges must keep their distance from all forms of interests, including politics, and adhere firmly to the code of ethics and principles of justice. In this way, public trust can be maintained, and the law can truly serve as the commander in every judicial process.