Sued by Staff over Transfer, Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai Provides Explanation

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has been sued by one of his staff members over the transfer of the said employee. The lawsuit was raised by DPR Commission XIII member Rieke Diah Pitaloka to Pigai during a working meeting at Commission XIII of the DPR on Tuesday (7/4/2026). The lawsuit is registered in the Case Tracking Information System (SIPP) of the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) with case number 59/G/2026/PTUN.JKT. Yanti was previously the Secretary of the Directorate General of Human Rights Services and Compliance and was then moved to become a mid-level expert human rights analyst. Yanti is suing the Transfer Decree (SK) that moved her from a managerial position to a functional one. Pigai is being sued to rehabilitate Yanti’s honour, dignity, and position as before, equivalent to echelon 2A as Secretary of the Directorate General (Sesditjen). “I demand professionalism, including improving budget absorption. After evaluation, the lowest achievement was in the unit where Mrs Yanti served as KPA, at 89 percent,” said Pigai. “Furthermore, the person in question chose to move to a functional position herself. This shift was also not a demotion as it remains at an equivalent level,” he stated. Pigai emphasised that every transfer policy is carried out openly in front of relevant officials, including the Secretary General and Inspector General, to ensure the process is transparent and performance-based. He compared it to other ministries that deactivate officials in large numbers or routinely change positions. “I am the only minister in this period who has never deactivated officials. There are ministries where the Secretary General was deactivated, and even in one day, 37 echelon II officials were deactivated. There are also those who change every week, even every month,” he said. Pigai stressed that all officials he appoints are selected based on professionalism and competence, without personal closeness. He stated that appointments as well as position shifts are done objectively and transparently.