UI Chancellor Ari Kuncoro Concurrently Position Of Commissioner, PKS: Rules Of Deception Set A Bad Precedent For Academic Independence

Chairman of the DPR PKS Faction Jazuli Juwaini (Left)- (Photo: Instagram @jazuli.juwaini)

JAKARTA - In the midst of the polemic of the dual position of UI Chancellor Ari Kuncoro as Deputy President Commissioner of BRI which contradicts the UI Statute, the government unexpectedly issued a new UI Statute PP, namely PP 75 of 2021.

In the new bleid there is a change in the rules, where previously the chancellor and other campus officials were prohibited from concurrently serving as officials in BUMN/BUMD or the private sector, but the word "official" was changed to "director". This means that the UI Chancellor can serve as a commissioner.

Responding to this, the Chairman of the PKS faction in the DPR RI, Jazuli Juwaini, said that the issuance of the regulation was like challenging the public who criticized the practice of concurrently serving as UI Chancellor for violating the UI statutes. But apparently, he said, the same practice also applies in several campuses.

"It is not clear what the root of the criticism is, the government has actually opened up a practice room for dual commissioner positions by issuing a new PP Statute of UI. This is called a trick of the rules. Where is the ethics?" Jazuli told reporters, Wednesday, July 21.

Jazuli assessed that the new PP Statute of UI is a bad precedent for academic independence. This is because the concurrent position of the Chancellor with a position that has nothing to do with the academic world actually undermines efforts to advance higher education.

Let alone from the standpoint of independence, he said, technically it is certain that the work of the Chancellor with a heavy burden of responsibility will not be focused. Unless there is a rent-seeking and political motive behind the dual positions.

"Instead of pursuing academic quality and making the UI campus a world-class university, the dual rector positions have become a source of problems and undermine efforts to advance the quality of education. How can our campuses progress if this is the practice?," said Jazuli furiously. .

Moreover, continued the member of Commission I of the DPR, the position of commissioner of BUMN in this country is not synonymous with political interests as a politics of remuneration and the oligarchy of the rulers. Making the Chancellor or campus official, said Jazuli, will only drag the campus into narrow political interests which ultimately bias interests and will certainly threaten academic independence.

"Then the academic world cannot be free to criticize the government, aka 'ewuh pakewuh'. On the other hand, the government feels that it can control campuses, including in terms of freedom of opinion in the academic world," he said.

"The example is clear, as happened to BEM UI and also BEM in several campuses who were summoned and warned by the rector for their critical attitude towards the President and the government. The government should not perpetuate this backward practice in democracy and academia," continued Jazuli.

In terms of professional SOE management, according to Jazuli, the practice of having multiple positions is clearly detrimental. No wonder, he said, many national SOEs are losing money and are not progressing, because SOE positions are used as sidelines or objects of interest.

"Yes, out of 270 million people, none of them are able to become BUMN Commissioners who can work focused without having to be concurrently by several other officials. The fact that when SOEs are losing money should be addressed by looking for the right people, who can focus and concentrate on managing BUMN so they don't continue to lose," concluded Jazuli.

It is known, Government Regulation (PP) 68/2013 regarding the Statute of the University of Indonesia (UI) has been changed to PP 75/2021.

PP 75/2021 was signed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on July 2, 2021 and promulgated by Menkumham Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly on July 2, 2021.

In the new UI Statutes, the UI Chancellor is only prohibited from serving as a director of BUMN/BUMD/private sector. While previously it was prohibited to hold concurrent positions as BUMD/BUMN commissioners who used the word 'official' in Article 35 letter c of the UI Statute.