Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to reform Indonesia’s judicial system following a series of high-profile corruption cases involving judges and law enforcement officials, including the arrest of South Jakarta District Court Chief Judge Muhammad Arif Nuryanta.

The judge was recently detained for allegedly orchestrating a multimillion-rupiah bribery scheme related to a controversial acquittal in a crude palm oil (CPO) export corruption case. The case centered on violations of a 2022 CPO export ban during a domestic cooking oil shortage, involving major corporate players such as Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group.

Gerindra Party Secretary-General Ahmad Muzani told reporters at the House of Representatives on Thursday that Prabowo has long regarded Indonesia’s law enforcement system as a structural weak point, often exploited for personal gain.

“This has been a consistent concern for President Prabowo. Our law enforcement system continues to be a recurring problem,” Muzani said. “He wants to reorganize legal development so that our law enforcers are people who truly uphold integrity and are committed to serving the nation.”

As part of his broader reform initiative, Prabowo plans to revamp the national legal framework to encourage the emergence of judges and law enforcement personnel with strong ethical standards. The president is also seeking input from civil society, legal experts, and lawmakers to formulate comprehensive strategies aimed at strengthening the rule of law.

“Prabowo continues to welcome input from those who share the same vision of building a better legal system,” Muzani said.

In response to the scandal, the Supreme Court on Monday announced the creation of a special task force to evaluate the performance of judges across Jakarta. According to court spokesperson Yanto, the oversight body will spearhead the initiative and conduct a thorough review of judicial behavior.

In a bid to improve transparency and reduce corruption, the court also plans to implement a “robotic selection” system via an electronic application. The system would assign judges to cases at random, effectively removing opportunities for collusion between defendants and judicial panels.

Prosecutors allege that Judge Arif, though not a member of the judicial panel in the CPO case, played a key role in coordinating the bribery scheme. He reportedly demanded Rp 60 billion ($3.8 million), three times the defense’s initial offer, in exchange for an acquittal. Three other judges who presided over the trial --Agam Syarif Baharuddin, Ali Muhtarom, and Djuyamto-- have also been named as suspects, along with a court clerk and two defense attorneys.

In October last year, thousands of judges launched a strike over stagnant wages amid rising living costs. Members of the Indonesian Judges Solidarity (SHI) group appealed to lawmakers for a salary increase, citing their current monthly income of Rp 12 million as inadequate to meet basic needs.

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