Observer: The professionalism of the apparatus must be based on integrity and ethics

President Prabowo Subianto (ANTARA/HO-BPMI Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - Political law observer Pieter C Zulkifli reminded the public trust to be the most valuable 'currency' in a legal state. When the integrity of the legal apparatus is questioned, what is threatened is not only the success of eradicating corruption, but the legitimacy of the state in the eyes of the people.

Zulkifli said that in the midst of great expectations for the anti-corruption agenda, Indonesia is actually facing a more fundamental challenge, namely ensuring that those who enforce the law are also subject to the same integrity standards.

"Corruptors steal state money. On the other hand, law enforcement officers who lose integrity have the potential to steal the public's trust in the law," said Pieter Zulkifli in his statement, Wednesday, July 15.

The former Chairman of Commission III of the DPR emphasized that a great nation is not built solely by natural wealth, economic growth, or technological sophistication but they stand firm because they have institutions that the people trust. According to him, trust is the most expensive capital in state life.

"As the world moves into the era of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and innovation-based economies, Indonesia is once again faced with a much more fundamental question, namely, whether there is still public trust in the last bastion of law enforcement," he said.

For Pieter Zulkifli, the question becomes increasingly relevant when public spaces are filled with various events that drag law enforcement officers into the vortex of alleged irregularities. One of them is the search of the house of the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah by the police investigators accompanied by the seizure of a large amount of assets as part of the investigation process.

On the other hand, the person concerned stated that all assets could be accounted for and asked the public to respect the legal process. In a legal state, the principle of presumption of innocence must be upheld.

"However, precisely because of this, every legal enforcement process must take place openly, professionally, and free from intervention so that public confidence is maintained," he said.

Pieter Zulkifli assessed that the case was not just an individual matter. This case is a mirror that reflects a much bigger problem: the fragility of public trust in law enforcement institutions. Because, when the authorities who are authorized to investigate, seize, prosecute, and bring someone to court become the object of investigation, what is at stake is not only personal reputation, but also the honor of the rule of law.

"President Prabowo Subianto seems to be aware of the great challenge. In his speech, the President reminded bureaucrats, police, soldiers, and prosecutors to do introspection. Positions, ranks, and authority, the President emphasized, in essence come from the people and must be accountable to the people," he said.

Pieter Zulkifli also said the Head of State emphasized that the war against corruption must continue to run within the legal corridor. The message is worth reading as a moral compass for all law enforcement officials. He revealed that corruption is indeed a common enemy. However, there is a threat that is much more serious than the corruptors themselves, namely the loss of integrity of law enforcement officials.

"Corruptors steal state money. On the other hand, law enforcement officers who lose integrity have the potential to steal the public's trust in the law. And when that trust is lost, the state loses its moral foundation," he said.

Pieter Zulkifli said criminals never built a country. They actually enrich themselves while destroying the country. Therefore, law enforcement should not stop at punishing perpetrators.

"But we must also ensure that every law enforcement institution remains a fortress that protects the interests of the nation, not a tool that is used for the interests of a few people," he said.

He then quoted Mark Twain's sharp criticism, which is relevant to think about, namely 'politics is the only profession that allows a person to lie, steal, cheat, and remain respected'. "In line with that, Lord Acton reminded, 'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'," he said.

Apart from the context of his time, continued Pieter, both quotes remind us that when power loses its integrity, the law easily turns into a tool that serves interests, not justice. The greater the power a person has, the greater the demands that the power be supervised. Therefore, there should be no institution that is immune from inspection.

"The police must be able to be supervised. Prosecutors must be able to be examined. Judges must be able to be held accountable. Even the institution that is mandated to eradicate corruption must not be above the principle of accountability," he said.

Pieter Zulkifli also emphasized that the rule of law is actually tested not when processing ordinary citizens, but when it has to examine its own apparatus. That's where it can be seen whether the law really works without favoritism or whether it is subject to power. He again quoted Thomas Fuller who once reminded 'Be you ever so high, the law is above you'. No matter how high one's position is, the law must remain above it.

Pieter Zulkifli continued that in the midst of the complexity of modern law enforcement, the challenges faced are not only the abuse of authority, but also the potential for conflict between law enforcement agencies. Therefore, conflict management is an important part of legal reform. He said that conflict management is not merely resolving disputes, but a series of strategies to prevent, mediate, and resolve differences of interest through internal oversight, accountability mechanisms, and inter-institutional collaboration.

Healthy coordination between the National Police, the prosecutor's office, the KPK, and the judicial institutions is needed so that the handling of cases is not colored by sectoral ego, overlapping authority, or rivalries that are detrimental to justice seekers. "However, the war against corruption must not lose its constitutional footing. The desire to punish corruptors cannot be used as an excuse to loosen the standard of proof or ignore the rights guaranteed by the constitution," he said.

"Every investigation must be based on valid evidence, every seizure must have a clear legal basis, and every indictment must be built on solid evidence. The rule of law must not stand on assumptions, but on facts and fair legal processes," he added.

He emphasized that in this context, transparency is an absolute requirement. Any allegations of irregularities involving law enforcement officers must be processed openly so that the public can see that the law is really working without fear and without partiality. But transparency alone is not enough. Legal reform must also be based on integrity, accountability, and the example of leaders of law enforcement agencies.

"Handling conflicts of interest and internal problems will never be complete if the holders of power fail to set an example in honesty, courage, and adherence to public ethics," he said.

On the other hand, leadership with integrity will create a healthy organizational culture, strengthen internal supervision, and foster the institutional synergy needed to maintain public trust. According to Pieter, Indonesia actually does not lack laws and regulations. Indonesia also does not lack law enforcement agencies.

"What is still rare is an example. This nation has spent too much energy in a recurring cycle: corruption, raids, arrests, trials, then new cases appear again," he said.

At the same time, other countries are moving quickly to build world-class universities, strengthen research, develop technology, and produce innovations that change civilization. It is difficult to expect a leap in progress if the energy of the nation continues to be drained by the crisis of the integrity of its own apparatus.

"Without trust, the law will only be seen as an instrument of power, not a guardian of justice. And when the law loses public trust, democracy also loses one of its main supports," he said.

Pieter Zulkifli said that trust could only be restored if professionalism went hand in hand with ethics. Reliable law enforcement officers are not enough to just master the law and technical skills, but must also uphold morality, codes of ethics, and the courage to put justice above personal and group interests.

In line with the view of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sunarto, the professionalism of law enforcement officers must always be based on integrity and ethics, because without morality, even a firm law can turn into a tool of power. In the end, the quality of the rule of law is not only measured by the number of cases that are resolved, but by the ability of law enforcers to maintain the conscience of the law in every decision made.

"President Prabowo has an opportunity that may only come once in a generation: restoring the honor of the law enforcement institution. History will not only count how many corruptors are imprisoned. History will record whether during his reign Indonesia managed to build a police, prosecutor, judge, and all law enforcement officers who are clean, independent, professional, and trusted by the people," he concluded.