Budget Efficiency, KY Employees' Salaries Only Enough Until October and Supreme Court Judge Selection Delayed

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The Judicial Commission or KY is one of the institutions affected by the budget efficiency policy set by the government. The salaries of its employees can only be paid until October 2025. Beyond that, KY is also unable to conduct the selection of Supreme Court justice candidates this year.

Chairman of KY Amzulian Rifai, when met after a working meeting with Commission III of the DPR at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Monday (10/2/2025), stated that KY faced a budget cut of up to Rp 100 billion from the total budget of Rp 184.5 billion throughout 2025. With this budget cut, he admitted that KY's daily operations were somewhat disrupted.

Amzulian revealed that due to budget efficiency, the salaries of KY employees can only be paid until October 2025. He also received information that starting next month, there will no longer be fuel reimbursement for the employees.

"Because the employees' salaries are only sufficient until October. I just received news that starting next month, we have to buy our own fuel. We are struggling," said Amzulian.

We suggest that the leadership of KY immediately sit down with the Ministry of Finance to find a financing solution for the selection of Supreme Court justice candidates. Because without carrying out this main task, it is as if KY does not exist.

Not only that, Amzulian also said that KY could not carry out its main task due to budget efficiency. The task is to select candidates for supreme court justices and candidates for ad hoc judges at the Supreme Court this year.

In fact, the task of conducting the selection of Supreme Court justices is mandated by Law Number 18 of 2011 concerning Amendments to Law No. 22/2004 concerning the Judicial Commission. Moreover, the Supreme Court has also sent a letter to the Judicial Commission to promptly complete the selection of Supreme Court justice candidates. However, the Judicial Commission must candidly respond that it also does not have the budget to conduct the selection of Supreme Court justice candidates.

"If it is for (the selection of candidates for) Supreme Court justices, the estimated budget required is between Rp 4 billion to Rp 5 billion. So far, it is indeed not possible (to have a selection of candidates for Supreme Court justices)," said Amzulian.

The solution, according to Amzulian, is to restore the KY budget to its original amount. He has estimated that if the KY budget is fully restored to Rp 184 billion, KY's operations will return to normal.

Amzulian also admitted that he had reported to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani regarding these obstacles. He hopes that next week he can meet with Sri Mulyani and there will be improvements regarding the KY budget.

"But we are aware that this is a state policy that we cannot do anything about. I am sure that all ministries and institutions are in the same position. We will implement it according to state policy, of course. Because we are part of this country," said Amzulian.

Separately, Member of Commission III of the DPR from the National Awakening Party (PKB) Faction, Hasbiallah Ilyas, said that it would be ironic if the KY could not carry out its main duties due to budget efficiency.

He realized that the current government budget is insufficient so that ministries/institutions must economize. This aims to ensure that priority and strategic government programs can continue to run.

However, according to Hasbiallah, the selection of prospective judges is also a priority program. He asked the KY to immediately communicate with the Ministry of Finance regarding the obstacles experienced so that the best solution can be obtained.

"Regarding the KY, we suggest that the KY leadership immediately sit down with the Ministry of Finance to find a solution to finance the selection of candidates for supreme court justices. Because without carrying out this main task, it is the same as if the KY did not exist," said Hasbiallah.

Meanwhile, at the same time, the DPR leadership asked all commission leaders in the DPR to postpone the meeting to discuss the efficiency of the ministry/institution budget. The request to postpone the meeting was due to the budget reconstruction from the government.

The postponement of this meeting is stated in a letter from the leadership of the DPR signed by Deputy Speaker of the DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad. The letter numbered B/197/PW.11.01/2/2035 was signed on Friday (7/2/2025) and addressed to the leaders of Commission I to Commission XIII of the DPR.

Chairman of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives Marwan Dasopang when contacted in Jakarta, Monday (10/2/2025), stated that his party had received the letter and would postpone discussions related to the budget with related partners. This commission works with various ministries and institutions engaged in the fields of religion, social, disaster, to women's empowerment and child protection.

Marwan said that his party planned to make a decision regarding budget efficiency on February 12, 2025. He had also asked each ministry and related institution to provide an efficiency plan for discussion and all had submitted it.

"From our partners, there are indeed efficiencies being made. I have given a deadline of 3-4 days before making a decision. All have reported and are ready to be discussed. However, in accordance with the direction of the DPR leadership, the discussion has been postponed while waiting for further direction," said Marwan.

Efficiency is carried out around operations and official travel. However, Marwan emphasized that the budget for programs to the community is not burdened with efficiency. He also hopes that this new policy can reduce previous cuts.

"We have conveyed that efficiency is carried out according to criteria and as small as possible to avoid program budgets. This new policy seems encouraging, maybe the cuts won't be that big," Marwan said.

This cut refers to President Prabowo's target to carry out efficiency with a total of Rp306.69 trillion. The order to save this budget is stated in Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2025 concerning Spending Efficiency in the Implementation of the State Budget and Regional Budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year.