No Lessons Learned from the Usman Case? Importance of Avoiding Impression of Conflicts of Interest
The nephew of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, named Thomas Djiwandono, has officially been appointed as a Deputy Governor of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia), in late January 2026. He was nominated by his uncle for this role in mid-January 2026, following the sudden resignation of the previous Deputy Governor, Juda Agung.
Regarding the topic of corruption, collusion and nepotism, which has unfortunately been an intrinsic phenomenon in Indonesian politics and business for many decades, there is one crucial matter that we have been emphasizing in recent years: it is not enough for public officials to simply avoid these practices; but it is also highly crucial to avoid the impression (or appearance) of them.
For example, the reason why we were disappointed in former Indonesian President Joko Widodo (despite many of the good things he has done for the country) was that –at the end of his second term– a couple of events occurred that made us (and many others) suspicious.
While it has sort of been tradition that political (family) dynasties exist in national and regional politics of Indonesia, Widodo –at first– differed because he came from a humble, non-elite background. In that way, he basically broke the rules, which was a very positive development for Indonesian politics as the country needs people who are qualified for the job; not those who are well connected only.
While it has sort of been tradition that political (family) dynasties exist in national and regional politics of Indonesia, Widodo –at first– differed because he came from a humble, non-elite background. In that way, he basically broke the rules, which was a very positive development for Indonesian politics as the country needs people who are qualified for the job; not those who are well connected only.
However, before the end of his second term, Widodo’s family members (including his two sons, and son-in-law) had turned into important political players. And, one may remember the Anwar Usman case (which we discussed in detail back in 2023), a case that serves as a great illustration here.
Usman had been Chief Justice of Indonesia’s Constitutional Court since April 2018. Reportedly, he met Widodo’s younger sister (both being widowers) in 2021, and the two married in 2022. This meant that the Indonesian President and the key person at the Constitutional Court were now brothers-in-law. At that time, we wrote in our monthly report that it is highly advised for Usman to step down from his post; not because something illegal had happened, but simply because the impression of a conflict of interest had occurred, which is something that needs to be avoided.
What happened next was not surprising. In October 2023, the Constitutional Court (led by Usman) was asked to review the minimum age for both presidential and vice-presidential candidates, which was set at 40 years. This minimum age rule implied that President Widodo’s son (Gibran Rakabuming Raka) could not participate in the 2024 election as the vice-presidential candidate of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto (the pair that would later win this election).
The court ruled that while the age remains 40, an exception can be made for those candidates who have previously held (or currently hold) an elected regional office (such as a mayor or governor). This specific exception directly cleared the path for Widodo’s eldest son (who is Usman’s nephew) to run for Vice President at the age of 36 only because he was the then-Mayor of Solo.
The ruling sparked accusations of nepotism and the creation of a political dynasty. Because Usman didn’t remove himself from the case despite his family ties to Gibran, an ethics panel was formed to investigate. This panel found Usman guilty of a serious breach of the judicial code of ethics, specifically citing Usman’s failure to maintain impartiality and his involvement in a case that (directly) benefited his family. As a result, Usman was removed from his position as Chief Justice in November 2023, but he did remain on the court as a regular justice. Interestingly enough, the minimum age ruling was not revoked, and so one could think ‘mission accomplished’ by the Widodo family. Because this Constitutional Court ruling was not withdrawn due to the ethics violation, it essentially sets a precedent for future unethical acts. Usman’s removal from his post of Chief Justice was simply the price that had to be paid for his nephew’s political career.
Societal Damage Done by Political Nepotism
The real problem with these events is that they damage the public’s trust in national and regional politics as well as the judicial system, which can –ultimately– cause the structural breakdown of how society functions. After all, when citizens believe or feel that politics and courts are biased, they stop viewing the law as a set of rules for everyone. Instead, they see it as a tool for the powerful, which could mean people and businesses stop following regulations because they feel the game is rigged.
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