Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said on Wednesday that Indonesia has significantly increased judicial salaries, including compensation for the chief justice of the Supreme Court, which he claimed is now higher than that of an equivalent official in Singapore.
Speaking during a plenary session of parliament, Prabowo said some categories of judges had received income increases of nearly 300%.
He also claimed that junior judges in Indonesia now earn more than their counterparts in Malaysia, although he did not disclose specific figures.
"My government has increased judges' salaries, with some judges receiving income increases of nearly 300%," Prabowo said.
According to the president, improving judicial welfare forms part of the government's broader strategy to strengthen legal institutions and build a cleaner, more professional, and independent judiciary.
He argued that no country can become a developed nation without strong legal certainty, effective public services, and a credible bureaucracy.
"There is no developed country without legal certainty," Prabowo said.
He added that the salary increases were intended to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary and reduce the risk of judges or state officials being influenced by bribery or outside interests.
Under a regulation signed by Prabowo in February, Indonesia's ad hoc judges – non-career judges recruited from professional backgrounds to handle specialized legal cases – are now eligible to receive monthly salaries and allowances exceeding Rp 105 million (around $6,000), depending on the level of court where they serve.
Ad hoc judges at district courts receive at least Rp 49.3 million per month, while those serving at appellate courts earn Rp 62.5 million. Judges serving at the Supreme Court of Indonesia can receive up to Rp 105.3 million monthly.
Indonesia appoints ad hoc judges in five specialized legal areas requiring sector-specific expertise: corruption cases, industrial relations disputes, fisheries and illegal fishing cases, human rights courts, and commercial courts.
According to a report by CNN Indonesia, the take-home pay for Indonesia's Supreme Court chief justice under a 2014 government regulation stood at Rp 126.65 million per month.
By comparison, the equivalent judicial official in Singapore receives an annual salary of S$347,400, or roughly Rp 398 million per month.
The new compensation structure for Indonesia's chief justice referenced by Prabowo has not yet been publicly disclosed.