The performance of the Legislative Body of the Indonesian House of Representatives (Baleg DPR) has garnered attention from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) academics.
This concern stems from the fact that between 2020 and 2024, 71 out of 181 laws were not produced through the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) but were instead proposed in the cumulative open list (DTK).
Ideally, every law passed by the DPR should be part of the National Legislation Program.
This issue was raised by Dr. Andi Sandi Antonius Tabusassa Tonralipu, a lecturer in Constitutional Law at UGM’s Faculty of Law (FH UGM), while opening the event “Absorbing Aspirations for the National Legislation Program 2025-2029 and Priority Bills for 2025” on Monday (Sep. 23) at UGM’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM).
Dr. Tonralipu expressed hope that this forum for absorbing aspirations would provide valuable input for Baleg DPR, as drafting sound legal documents must involve public participation.
He emphasized that meaningful participation is part of building an open governance ecosystem, where transparency is a key commitment in a democratic state.
“UGM extends its thanks to the Legislative Body and particularly Forkopimda DIY for being with us in providing input to Baleg DPR RI to help refine the country’s legislative program planning,” he explained.
Dr. Nurhadi Susanto, Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources at Fisipol UGM, also attended and remarked that Baleg DPR has long been a cornerstone in the production of laws in Indonesia.
As the spearhead of legal regulation, Baleg DPR must create laws that are just, provide certainty, and are beneficial, aligning with the country’s goals. According to Dr. Susanto, Baleg DPR must accommodate public and social agendas, ensuring they align with the government’s priorities.
“The hope is that Baleg DPR can realize the welfare of all levels of society, which we must continue to monitor,” he said.
The forum featured H. Abidin Fikri, a member of the DPR RI, and continued with a discussion between participants and representatives from Baleg DPR. This legislator from Commission XI reiterated that Baleg DPR is open to input from all segments of society.
“Ultimately, every bill that will be enacted into law must reflect the needs and aspirations of the people, making it essential for all parties to be involved in the legislative process,” he emphasized.
One of the participants, Hary Setiawan, Head of the Legal Bureau of the Yogyakarta Regional Secretariat, criticized several changes to laws, one of which was Law No. 15 of 2019, which amended Law No. 12 of 2011 on the Formation of Laws and Regulations (UU P3 Amendment).
The law includes a provision known as “carry over.” According to Setiawan, the policy’s goal is positive as it provides a legal framework for continuing the discussion of draft laws (RUU) across legislative periods.
This allows any bill planned, drafted, and discussed jointly by lawmakers (DPR, President, and/or DPD) but not completed within a specific period to be carried over to the next.
“However, in practice, it’s not that simple. Many bills are stalled because once they are added to the Prolegnas list, they are only on the wish list, not the waiting list,” he noted.
In this context, the carry-over status does not prioritize a bill among other priority Prolegnas bills for completion. This could impact the secondary regulations derived from these laws, which regional governments use. The carry-over status only provides hope, not a guarantee, so Setiawan hopes this policy will be reconsidered.
In addition to representatives from the Baleg DPR, students, lecturers, and members of the Yogyakarta Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) attended the forum for absorbing aspirations.
Dr. Abdul Gaffar Karim, Head of the Department of Public Policy and Management at Fisipol UGM, who acted as the forum’s moderator, expressed that the event aimed to improve democracy so that political dynamics can positively impact all Indonesian citizens.
“Let us not forget, amid the freedom of politics and legislative maneuvering, the importance of working to improve the welfare of the people,” he concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Afif
Photographer: Donnie