Jakarta – Former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo significantly increased judges' basic salaries by nearly double before leaving office, following a mass protest by Indonesian judges.
The change was made through Government Regulation No. 44/2024, signed on Wednesday, just two days before Jokowi's term ended. The raise was made following a weeklong mass strike by national judges starting on Oct. 7.
The latest regulation amended an old regulation issued in 2012. Judges' basic salaries are determined by their rank and years of service.
The new regulation stipulates that judges with rank III will receive a basic salary between Rp 2,785,700 (US$179.3) and Rp 5,180,700. Previously, these figures ranged from Rp 2,064,100 to Rp 3,179,100, as stipulated by the new regulation.
Meanwhile, judges in rank IV now earn from Rp 3,287,800 to Rp 6,373,200, up from the previous range of Rp 2,436,100 to Rp 3,746,900.
In addition to an increases in basic salary, Jokowi also raised allowances for judges, depending on their positions.
Judges at first-level courts will now receive allowances ranging from Rp 11,900,000 to Rp 37,900,000, depending on their specific roles. Meanwhile, appellate judges will be paid between Rp 38,200,000 and Rp 56,500,000.
First-level courts are usually district courts located in a municipality or a regency seat, while appellate courts are high courts located in provincial capitals.
Under the previous regulation, judges at district courts received between Rp 8,500,000 and Rp 27,000,000, while allowances for judges at high courts ranged from Rp 27,200,000 to Rp 40,200,000.
The regulation also includes a clause for judges to receive periodic salary increases. According to Article 3D, judges qualify for these increases if they have met the required years of service and received a performance appraisal rating of at least "satisfactory."
Judges who receive a "satisfactory" rating will see their salary increase two months after notification, while those rated "very satisfactory" or exemplary, will receive immediate raises.
Earlier on Oct. 16, the newly appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Sunarto pledged to uphold a merit-based system for promotions and transfers in his inaugural speech, as well as improving the welfare of judges.
"We will continue to consistently implement promotions and mutations based on the merit system. In addition, there is also a transparent and accountable recruitment pattern for every leader in all environments in the judiciary," Sunarto said in Jakarta after being elected the Supreme Court chief justice, as quoted by tempo.com.
President Prabowo Subianto witnessed the ceremony to officiate Sunarto on Tuesday.
Sunarto also said that it was important to improve the welfare of judges and apparatuses in the Supreme Court.
"The function of judicial institutions is to create a just society, so judicial institution personnel have to be in an ideal condition when serving those seeking justice," he said.
Sunarto said the optimum services given up until this time were not accompanied with proper welfare in mind.
Therefore, he said, there was a need to increase the budget limit and strive for an independent budget.
"A sufficient budget can improve the welfare of our judges and judicial apparatuses," he said.