Observer reminds PERADI leadership is not just a position but an ethical test

ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Melinda Gimpel

JAKARTA - The public is reminded that organizational crises rarely stand alone, but always contain issues of power ethics. This dynamic is not merely a procedural conflict, but a test of how the legal profession understands honor and self-restraint.

This warning was delivered by legal and political observer Dr. Pieter C Zulkifli, SH., MH., in response to the uproar over the debate on the legitimacy and term limits in the Indonesian Advocates Association (PERADI).

He considers this a classic political mirror of the organization where when the rules are interpreted flexibly, morality is often tested. This analysis tries to place the polemics in the frame of governance and leadership ethics.

"The controversy over the leadership of PERADI is not just about the position, but a test of ethics, legitimacy, and the limits of power in professional organizations," said Pieter Zulkifli in his statement, Monday, February 16.

He views the dynamics that have developed in the body of PERADI in recent times as an important test for the governance of professional organizations.

According to him, the election of Dr. Imam Hidayat as chairman through the Extraordinary National Congress (Munaslub) in February 2026 marked a difference in views regarding the legitimacy of leadership and the limits of the organization's authority.

Pieter Zulkifli assessed that the debate that emerged was rooted in the extension of the tenure of the 2020-2025 period under the leadership of Dr. Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan. From an administrative point of view, the argument regarding the need for organizational transition can be understood as an effort to maintain continuity.

However, in the perspective of good governance, he said, every extension of the mandate requires a clear and accountable normative basis. He said that the organization of the lawyer profession not only manages membership administration, but also carries out ethical mandates.

For him, the principle of officium nobile places honor and integrity as a foundation. In that framework, compliance with the term limit is not merely a formal provision, but a form of respect for the principle of accountability and limitation of power.

Pieter Zulkifli revealed that in modern organizational theory, term limits serve to prevent prolonged concentration of authority. Leadership circulation is a corrective mechanism that allows for the renewal of ideas and regeneration.

"When there is a difference in interpretation of the term of office provision, the room for resolution must remain within the constitutional framework of the organization," he said.

Not only that, he emphasized that the difference between formal legality and moral legitimacy is often a source of tension. Formal legality is based on written procedures and rules.

Pieter Zulkifli considers moral legitimacy to be born from the acceptance of members and a sense of collective justice. In a professional organization, the two cannot be separated.

"Legality without legitimacy will be questioned. On the other hand, legitimacy without a legal basis risks weakening certainty," he said.

He considered the emergence of Munaslub which then produced a new leadership under Dr. Imam Hidayat was basically a constitutional instrument when some members assessed that there was a need for correction.

Pieter Zulkifli stated that extraordinary mechanisms are available in the organization's design to overcome the impasse.

"The key is not only the result, but whether the process runs according to the basic budget and household and internal democracy principles," he said.

The next challenge is consolidation. Professional organizations that have a strategic role in the justice system cannot linger in fragmentation.

According to him, institutional stability is a prerequisite for the independence of the profession. Without internal stability, the position of the advocate as one of the pillars of law enforcement will be indirectly affected.

"In this context, the state cannot be passive. The state must be present and understand the political dynamics of professional organizations, which often have different views in managing organizations professionally and with dignity," said Pieter.

"The presence of the state is not to carry out interventions that go beyond the limits of autonomy, but to ensure that the legal framework and internal democratic principles are respected," he explained.

He emphasized that the state was interested in ensuring that every professional organization that supports the judicial system continued to operate in accordance with the principles of legal certainty, justice, and good governance.

"In the context of leadership ethics, classical reflection remains relevant. The Greek philosopher Aristotle reminded, 'He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander'," he said.

Pieter Zulkifli said leadership requires compliance with laws and limits. Authority does not stand on personal will, but on mutually agreed norms.

"A similar view was emphasized by Immanuel Kant through his categorical imperative: one must act in such a way that the principle of his action can be made into a general law. In an organization, every precedent created will become a reference. Therefore, today's decisions must be tested by the standards of universality and consistency," he said.

At the end of his statement, Pieter Zulkifli reminded PERADI that it is now in a reflective phase. This momentum can be interpreted as an opportunity to strengthen commitment to transparent, accountable, and rule-based governance.

He stated that leadership, including that currently held by Dr. Imam Hidayat, is ultimately a mandate that is limited by norms. The measure of success does not lie in the figure, but in the willingness of all elements of the organization to place ethics above momentary interests.

"If the principle of officium nobile is consistently maintained, this dynamic can actually strengthen the institutional foundation. Organizational integrity is not built through rhetoric, but through loyalty to the rules and ethics of leadership," he said.