The Lost Ethics in the Courtroom
This article is an opinion piece, and all content and opinions reflect the personal views of the author and do not reflect the attitude of the editorial team.
During a meeting to discuss healthcare services, a member of the Jember DPRD was caught on camera playing games and smoking in the courtroom.
The video clip quickly sparked public criticism as it was considered not to reflect the attitude of a people’s representative.
However, the real problem is not just the act of playing games or smoking itself.
The incident shows something more fundamental: the loss of ethical sensitivity of public officials in treating democratic spaces.
Ironically, the meeting discussed public health issues, which are directly related to the quality of life of citizens.
Amidst various public health issues, ranging from limited facilities, long queues, to stunting that has not been fully addressed, the decision-making space was instead presented as an arena for distraction.
The public ultimately witnessed a paradox of democracy: a forum that should be a space for serious politics has turned into a space for banality.
In many cases, the decline of democracy begins with seemingly small things: neglect, lack of seriousness, erosion of respect for public forums, and loss of moral awareness of officials towards the mandate they hold.
Democracy is ultimately not only determined by the existence of institutions and procedures, but also by the quality of ethics of the actors who run it.
From an ethical perspective, public office is never morally neutral.
Public office always carries ethical responsibility because it embodies public trust.
Therefore, the behavior of public officials cannot be judged solely on the basis of whether or not there is a violation of formal rules.
Public ethics works further than administrative law. It speaks of propriety, moral responsibility, and awareness to respect public space.
Ethical philosopher K. Bertens (2013) explains that ethics is not just a collection of rules about right and wrong, but a critical reflection on how humans should act well and responsibly.