PSI Backs Jokowi on KPK Law: Revision Was Parliament's Initiative
Jakarta, VIVA – The controversy surrounding former President Joko Widodo’s statement expressing support for restoring the KPK Law to its pre-2019 revision form continues to generate debate. The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) has now weighed in.
The PSI central executive board declared its support for Jokowi’s position. The party argued that the public needs to view the matter in its entirety, based on the facts of the legislative process at the time. Ariyo Bimmo, Director of Bureaucratic Reform at PSI’s central executive board, stressed that the 2019 revision of the KPK Law was not a presidential initiative.
“The constitutional facts are clear. The 2019 revision of the KPK Law was a House of Representatives initiative, not a presidential initiative. It should not be twisted to suggest it was entirely the government’s doing,” said Ariyo Bimmo on Friday, 20 February 2026.
PSI revealed that, according to legislative records, the revision was proposed by the House’s Legislation Body, with five parties as official proponents: PDI-P, Golkar, PPP, PKB, and NasDem.
On that basis, PSI argued it is disproportionate for parties to now criticise Jokowi’s statement when those same parties were the official proponents of the KPK Law amendments.
“They proposed the revision then, and now they blame Jokowi over the KPK Law’s trajectory — the public has every right to ask where the consistency is,” said Ariyo Bimmo.
PSI also noted that at the time, President Jokowi had submitted a Presidential Letter (Surpres) along with an Inventory of Issues (DIM) containing a number of observations and proposed improvements to the House’s draft.
However, constitutionally, the final decision rested with the House of Representatives as the holder of the legislative function. Furthermore, although the President did not sign the law, it remained valid after being jointly approved by the House and the government, as stipulated under Article 20 Paragraph (5) of the 1945 Constitution and Article 73 Paragraph (2) of Law 12/2011.
“From a constitutional law perspective, the mechanism is clear. It is therefore inaccurate to construct a narrative suggesting the President could unilaterally cancel a legislative process that had been jointly approved,” said Ariyo Bimmo.
According to PSI, Jokowi’s statement in fact reflects an openness to evaluating policy and improving the system.
“If there is a need to strengthen the KPK once more, PSI supports it. If the KPK Law needs improvement, let it be discussed openly. But do not distort the historical facts of the legislative process,” said Ariyo Bimmo.