The Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (MPR RI) was held on Friday, 16 August 2024. During the session, speeches were delivered presenting the government’s development performance and accountability for the 2019–2024 period by MPR Speaker Bambang Soesatyo, House of Representatives (DPR RI) Speaker Puan Maharani, and President Joko Widodo. As his final address after serving ten years in office, President Jokowi should have presented the key milestones and transformative achievements of Indonesia over the past decade. However, the relatively modest presentation failed to convincingly demonstrate that his ten years of leadership had brought about significant national progress.
Beyond its primary focus on economic development—which itself appeared unconvincing given the declining purchasing power of the public and increasing threats of layoffs across various sectors—Jokowi’s reported economic achievements were not accompanied by recognition of the rights of communities adversely affected by development projects. Moreover, the President made virtually no comprehensive remarks regarding progress in the fields of law, human rights, and democracy, mentioning only the enactment of the new Criminal Code (KUHP). The ambitious vision of mental revolution, introduced at the beginning of his presidency as the cornerstone of human development, was absent from the speech, with no explanation of how far this agenda had progressed. Instead, the speech conveyed an image of democratic and governance setbacks, partially obscured by claims of economic success.
The speeches delivered by the MPR Speaker, the DPR Speaker, and the President all failed to address the protection, fulfillment, and promotion of human rights over the past five years. According to the Human Rights Index published by SETARA Institute for the period 2019–2023, Indonesia’s national human rights performance has stagnated, never exceeding a score of 3.3, which was achieved in 2022. This reflects the state’s continued lack of strong commitment to the promotion, protection, and fulfillment of human rights, despite these being constitutional obligations under Article 28I paragraph (4) of the 1945 Constitution.
Regarding the MPR’s renewed proposal to revive the State Policy Guidelines (Haluan Negara), along with its preparation of draft principles intended to guide national development, this discourse has repeatedly resurfaced without adequately demonstrating either its urgency or its constitutional basis to the public. The MPR must clearly explain how such State Policy Guidelines would fit within Indonesia’s legal system, how they would be harmonized and integrated with the existing national development planning framework, and what accountability mechanisms would apply. The ambition to reintroduce the State Policy Guidelines also risks constraining executive authority and restoring the MPR’s former position as the highest state institution.
The DPR Speaker’s emphasis on promoting inclusive national and regional development deserves appreciation as a commitment pursued during the 2019–2024 administration and one that should be continued by the next government. Puan Maharani’s remarks also constitute an acknowledgment that inclusiveness and tolerance remain unresolved challenges. Data on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) show that the state has yet to establish a robust ecosystem of tolerance and inclusion. In 2023 alone, there were 217 incidents involving 329 acts of violations.
The DPR Speaker also highlighted the growing importance of deliberative democracy, which requires meaningful spaces for substantive engagement between policymakers and the citizens they represent in order to facilitate communication and build agreement on public issues. Therefore, greater efforts are needed to expand meaningful public participation in policymaking processes, enabling reciprocal deliberation that is oriented toward achieving consensus.
In the areas of law, human rights, and democracy, it is essential for the next administration to place constitutional democracy at the center of Indonesia’s national development agenda. This can be achieved by prioritizing inclusive development and governance, fostering an ecosystem of tolerance for all members of society, mainstreaming the protection, respect, and fulfillment of citizens’ constitutional rights across all aspects of government, expanding meaningful public participation in legislative processes, and strengthening democratic law enforcement.
Media Contacts:
Azeem Marhendra Amedi, Researcher, SETARA Institute
Ismail Hasani, Chair of SETARA Institute & Lecturer in Constitutional Law, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
SETARA Institute: +62 851 0025 5123