Ombudsman RI affirms commitment to integrity and respects legal process
Jakarta — The Chair of the Indonesian Ombudsman’s Office (ORI), Mokhammad Najih, has stated that as an institution, the ORI respects and is prepared to cooperate with the legal enforcement process currently being carried out by the Attorney General’s investigation team.
The statement responded to a search and seizure operation at the Ombudsman’s Office building and the residence of one ORI member by the Attorney General’s Investigation Team on Monday, 9 March.
“In carrying out its duties, the Ombudsman’s Office upholds the rule of law and compliance with applicable regulations, as well as applies principles of integrity, professionalism, and fairness,” said Najih, as confirmed in Jakarta on Monday.
Additionally, Najih noted that the ORI also has legal protections in accordance with Law No. 37 of 2008 concerning the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia.
Therefore, the Ombudsman is open and prepared to cooperate with the Attorney General’s team in the context of legal enforcement and will ensure that the legal process handled by the Attorney General’s investigators proceeds transparently and accountably.
Responding to various media reports related to the legal enforcement, Najih stated that based on the Law on the ORI, every oversight product, whether in the form of an Inspection Report or Ombudsman Recommendation, is essentially regulated in the Ombudsman’s internal regulations and has undergone strict, transparent, and professional control mechanisms.
Najih emphasised that public trust is the foundation of the Ombudsman’s work. Public legitimacy is extremely important for the Ombudsman in carrying out its duties and functions of overseeing public services in Indonesia.
“Precisely with this foundation, there is a need for mutual respect in carrying out duties and functions,” he said.
He added that every oversight product issued by the Ombudsman’s Office is morally binding in nature. This means that compliance by public service providers with every Ombudsman oversight product is based on ethics, morality, and propriety.
Referring to the Ombudsman’s oversight products, he continued, these essentially form part of judicial discretion in deciding cases in accordance with applicable provisions.
To date, the Ombudsman’s Office has opened public participation through a Whistleblowing System (WBS) mechanism if there are objections to the oversight products issued.
“We are very open to public criticism; oversee us as part of strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ombudsman’s Office,” Najih stated.
To this end, he emphasised the institutional integrity commitment of the Ombudsman’s Office and called upon all parties to maintain the principle of presumption of innocence, mutual respect for institutions, and support for the enforcement of justice in accordance with applicable legislation.
Previously, the Attorney General’s Office seized documentary evidence during the search at the Ombudsman’s Office and the residence of Ombudsman member Yeka Hendra Fatika on Monday, 9 March.
“There were documents and electronic evidence,” said the Director of Investigation at the Special Crimes Division of the Attorney General’s Office, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, in Jakarta on Tuesday, 10 March.
Syarief also disclosed that Yeka Hendra’s residence that was searched is located in Cibubur.
The Attorney General’s Head of Legal Information Centre, Anang Supriatna, stated that the search is related to allegations of obstruction of investigation and prosecution in a cooking oil case.
Anang said the case involves defendant Marcella Santoso as an advocate and three corporations: Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group.
Additionally, it also relates to a civil suit filed by the three corporations to the State Administrative Court. The Ombudsman’s Office is suspected of providing a recommendation to strengthen the lawsuit.
Marcella was convicted of providing bribes to influence a ruling to acquit in a corruption case involving the granting of export facilities for crude palm oil (CPO) and committing money laundering (TPPU) in 2025. She was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, a fine of Rp600 million or alternatively 150 days imprisonment, and ordered to pay restitution of Rp16.25 billion or alternatively 6 years imprisonment.