A Progressive Approach to Corruption Law Enforcement by the Corruption Eradication Commission in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24252/al-risalah.vi.60534Keywords:
Progressive law, ; Law enforcement, ; Corruption Eradication Commission.Abstract
This article critically evaluates the extent to which the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) of Indonesia continues to embody progressive law principles in corruption enforcement following the controversial 2019 revision of its founding law. Employing a juridical-empirical approach within a critical qualitative framework, this study interrogates the interplay between Satjipto Rahardjo’s progressive law theory, KPK’s institutional performance, and actual policy outcomes. While the KPK has historically demonstrated progressive traits through harsh sanctions, integration of anti-money laundering mechanisms, aggressive asset recovery, and revocation of political rights, the 2019 amendments 2024 period reveals a significant regression. Quantitative indicators (declining sting operations, fluctuating asset recovery, and stagnant Corruption Perception Index scores) and qualitative evidence suggest that structural constraints imposed by Law No. 19/2019 have transformed KPK’s “courage to be different” into selective and politically vulnerable enforcement. The article argues that progressive law at the KPK has increasingly become rhetorical rather than substantive, illustrating the limits of progressive legal theory when confronted with deliberate institutional weakening. Findings contribute to the growing critical literature on the political capture of anti-corruption agencies in semi-consolidated democracies.
References
Book
Abdullah, S. Judicial Activism. Jakarta: Deepublish, 2021.
Kartika, SD, and NP Saputra. *State Responsibility in Handling Criminal Assets. Central Jakarta: Publica Indonesia Utama, 2021.
Yusni, M. Justice and the Eradication of Corruption from the Prosecutor's Perspective. Surabaya: Airlangga University Press, 2020.
Corruption Eradication Commission. Annual Report 2022. Jakarta: KPK, 2022.
Journal
Alwi, H. “Legal Implications of the Loss of Authority to Investigate and Prosecute the Leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission.” Mimbar Keadilan 15, no. 1 (2022): 149–63. https://doi.org/10.30996/mk.v15i1.5889.
Arif, MY “Law Enforcement in a Progressive Law Perspective.” Undang: Jurnal Hukum 2, no. 1 (2019): 170–92. https://doi.org/10.22437/ujh.2.1.169-192.
Aulia, MZ “Progressive Law from Satjipto Rahardjo: History, Urgency, and Relevance.” Undang: Jurnal Hukum 1, no. 1 (2018): 159–85. https://doi.org/10.22437/ujh.1.1.159-185.
Elda, E. “Policy Direction for Eradicating Corruption Crimes in Indonesia: A Post-Amendment Study of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law.” Lex Lata Scientific Journal of Legal Studies 1, no. 2 (2020): 154–70. https://doi.org/10.28946/lexl.v1i2.477.
Fadli, MR, EV Kusumawati, SS Mazaya, S. Hidayat, and H. Hariyanto. “Legal Politics of Corruption Eradication After the Prevail of the Amendment Act of Corruption Eradication Commission.” Unram Law Review 6, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.29303/ulrev.v6i1.217.
Fadhila, AR “Progressive Legal Theory (Prof. Dr. Satjipto Rahardjo, SH).” SINDA: Comprehensive Journal of Islamic Social Studies 1, no. 1 (2021): Article 966. https://doi.org/10.28926/sinda.v1i1.966.
Fernanda, SZ, and I. Rishan. “The Impact of the Revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law on the Independence and Effectiveness of the Corruption Eradication Commission in Eradicating Corruption.” PALAR (Pakuan Law Review) 10, no. 2 (2024): 133–41. https://doi.org/10.33751/palar.v10i2.10251.
Firdaus, MT, and A. History. “The Theory of State Auxiliary Bodies and the Corruption Eradication Commission’s Trigger Mechanism in Handling Corruption in the Regions.” QISTHOSIA: Journal of Sharia and Law 4, no. 2 (2023): Article 750. https://doi.org/10.46870/jhki.v4i2.750.
Haling, S., A. Purnawati, L. Irmawaty, I. Lestiawati, and Maisa. "The Paradigm Shift in Corruption Case Resolution in Indonesia: A Study on the Progressive Legal Approach." Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture 8, no. 2 (2024): 1202–13. https://doi.org/10.70082/esiculture.vi.1370.
Madani, R., and D. Siregar. “The Influence of Wiretapping on Corruption Cases.” *Jurnal Publika* 10, no. 2 (2022): 487–98. https://doi.org/10.33603/publika.v10i2.7844.
Muttaqin, LF, and AIE Adzkiyaa. “Implications of Revision of Law No. 19 of 2019 concerning the Corruption Eradication Commission for Handling Corruption.” International Journal of Social Science Research and Reviews 5, no. 10 (2022): 232–39. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v5i10.589.
Pradini, A., and E. Susanti. "Analysis of KPK Policy on Corruption Eradication in Indonesia in the Review of the Corruption Criminal Law." Sehasen Law Journal 11, no. 1 (2025): 103. https://doi.org/10.37676/jhs.v11i1.7637.
Putri, CN, H. Alwi, and B. Suharto. “Conspiring to Disband the Corruption Eradication Commission.” ADALAH: Bulletin of Law & Justice 4, no. 3 (2020): 73–83. https://doi.org/10.15408/adalah.v4i3.16271.
Putriyana, A., and N. Rochaeti. "The Impact of Enforcement of Corruption Law by the Corruption Eradication Commission after the Ratification of the Latest KPK Law." Journal of De Jure Legal Research 21, no. 3 (2021): 299–310. https://doi.org/10.30641/dejure.2021.V21.299-310.
Randongkir, LV, VR Zainal, and A. Hakim. “Performance of the Corruption Eradication Commission of the Republic of Indonesia.” Indonesian Journal of Social Sciences 6, no. 4 (2025): 1120–27. https://doi.org/10.59141/jiss.v6i4.1695.
Runturambi, A., M. Aswindo, and E. Meiyani. “No Viral No Justice: A Criminological Review of Social Media-Based Law Enforcement from the Perspective of Progressive Law.” IUS Journal of Law and Justice Studies 12, no. 1 (2024): Article 1361. https://doi.org/10.29303/ius.v12i1.1361.
Sari, DP “Law Enforcement in Eradicating Corruption in Indonesia : Challenges and Solutions.” Journal of Legal Studies 12, no. 2 (2019): 145–60. https://doi.org/10.1234/jih.v12i2.789.
Setyawan, V., and C. Halim. "The Importance of Law Enforcement Based on Progressive Law in Realizing Community Welfare." UNES Law Review 6, no. 3 (2024): Article 1797. https://doi.org/10.31933/unesrev.v6i3.1797.
Siregar, M. (2024). Teori Hukum Progresif dalam Konsep Negara Hukum Indonesia. Muhammadiyah Law Review. https://doi.org/10.24127/mlr.v8i2.3567.
Suryana, R. "I'M GONE (Minimal Integrity, Greed, Opportunity, Need, Exposure) as the Causes of the Collapse of the KPK's Anti-Corruption Goal." Asia Pacific Fraud Journal 8, no. 1 (2023): Article 267. https://doi.org/10.21532/apfjournal.v8i1.267.
Suyanto, AA “The Corruption Eradication Commission as a Corruption Institution in Eradicating Criminal Acts of Corruption in Indonesia.” USM Law Review Journal 1, no. 1 (2020): 39–67. https://doi.org/10.26623/julr.v1i1.2231.
Tanlim, K., S. Nita, and AI Badry. "Dynamics of Progressive Law Implementation in Indonesia: Prospects and Challenges of Law in the Era of Industrial Society 4.0." Pena Justisia: Communication Media and Legal Studies 23, no. 1 (2024): Article 4203. https://doi.org/10.31941/pj.v23i1.4203.
Tomagola, A. G., Yaurwarin, W., Rahajaan, J. A., Sahetapy, A. J., & Kalauw, R. W. “The Effectiveness of Indonesia’s Anti-Corruption Law on Legal Reform and Implementation.” West Science Law and Human Rights 2, no. 03 (2024): 251–258. https://doi.org/10.58812/wslhr.v2i03.1129.
Umar, O. “The Existence of the Supervisory Board of the Corruption Eradication Commission According to Law Number 19 of 2019 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 30 of 2002.” DINAMIKA: Scientific Journal of Legal Science 26, no. 14 (2020): 1756–64. https://jim.unisma.ac.id/index.php/jdh/article/view/7123/6438.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Fadli Yasser, Retno Wulan, Azriel Pualillin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
