PDI-P Claims KPK is Interfering in Party Affairs After Proposal to Limit General Chair Terms
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Spokesperson for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Guntur Romli, has criticised the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for proposing that the tenure of political party general chairmen (ketum) be limited to just two terms.
Guntur stated that with this proposal, the KPK is exceeding its authority as an institution focused on law enforcement and corruption prevention.
“Ultra vires of the KPK’s duties. This means the KPK has gone beyond its core tasks and functions. Meddling in the internal affairs of political parties, which are legally civil society organisations (not state institutions), can be seen as a step too far,” Guntur told Kompas.com on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
He also reminded that, juridically, political parties are public legal entities but possess internal autonomy as voluntary organisations.
“The Constitution (1945 Constitution) and the Political Parties Law grant party members the right to determine their own leadership mechanisms through the party’s bylaws (AD/ART). State intervention (through the KPK’s regulatory proposal) in the tenure of party leaders could be seen as undermining the party’s independence and the freedom of association guaranteed by the constitution,” said Guntur.
Guntur continued that there is no empirical study that conclusively proves limiting the tenure of party general chairmen will automatically reduce corruption rates.
Moreover, Guntur assessed that the KPK’s proposal is vulnerable to politicisation, as intervention in party leadership duration could be misused as a political tool.
“If this rule is implemented through state regulations, there is a concern that those in power could use this instrument to ‘overthrow’ political rivals with strong mass bases in their parties merely over tenure issues, rather than performance or legal violations,” said Guntur.
Meanwhile, Guntur suggested that the KPK stick to its lane as a law enforcement body focused on monitoring fund flows and preventing abuse of authority, for example by party cadres in government.
“Rather than interfering in the sovereignty of political party organisations,” he said.
It was previously reported that the KPK proposed limiting the tenure of political party general chairmen to a maximum of two management terms.
This proposal was put forward by the KPK’s Monitoring Directorate in its study on political party governance, which found that there is no integrated standard for cadre development systems.
“To ensure the implementation of cadre development, regulations are needed to limit the leadership of the party general chairman to a maximum of two management terms,” stated the KPK’s Monitoring Directorate on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
“It encourages political parties to implement the Constitutional Court Decision Number 60/PUU-XXII/2024 on the minimum threshold for regional head elections through recruitment of candidates based on cadre development,” it added.
The KPK also proposed several additions to the revision of Article 29 of Law Number 2 of 2011 on Political Parties, namely regarding political party membership in Article 29 paragraph (1) letter a, adding that political party members consist of young, intermediate, and senior members.