Draft Bill on Judicial Office to Reinforce Contempt of Court Provisions

The Government, through Commission III of the House of Representatives, is currently deliberating the Draft Bill (Rancangan Undang-Undang – “RUU”) on Judicial Office. This regulation is projected as a comprehensive legal framework governing the status, career, and professional protection of judges in a more integrated manner.

The Spokesperson of the Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung – “MA”), Yanto, stated that strengthening judicial independence does not only pertain to adjudication. The RUU also addresses the protection of judges from potential criminalization arising from decisions they render, including the regulation of contempt of court in light of the increasing complexity of cases in court proceedings.

“In the RUU on Judicial Office, we request guarantees of security,” he told Hukumonline.

The RUU on Judicial Office is formulated based on the values of Pancasila and the mandate of the 1945 Constitution, particularly Article 24 paragraphs (1) and (2), which emphasize the importance of guaranteeing an independent judiciary. Through this approach, the RUU is expected to resolve the fragmentation of judicial regulation that has thus far been dispersed across various sectoral laws.