Denpasar, September 15, 2025 – The Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kanwil Kemenkum) Bali, together with the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration Bali, the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Corrections Bali, and the Regional Office of Human Rights NTT (Bali Working Area), participated in a joint assembly organized by the Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections. The event took place in the Darmawangsa Hall, Kanwil Kemenkum Bali, on Monday (15/09).
The assembly was led by Deputy Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections (Wamenko Kumham Imipas), Otto Hasibuan. In his remarks, he highlighted the national situation that had heated up between August 25–31, 2025, when Jakarta and several other cities drew both national and international attention due to large-scale demonstrations involving various elements of society.
According to Otto Hasibuan, the incident proved that Indonesian democracy is alive and dynamic, while also serving as a test of the neutrality of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN).
“Civil servants are required to stand firm on the rules, distance themselves from political polarization, and place the interests of the nation above all else. Neutrality is not just a slogan, but the foundation that ensures public services are delivered fairly, professionally, and with integrity,” Otto stressed.
In his directives, Otto Hasibuan conveyed three important notes regarding the application of civil servant neutrality following the wave of demonstrations:
- Neutral in attitude and action – Civil servants must guard their behavior to avoid showing political bias.
- Neutral in public service – Services provided to the public must be professional and fair.
- Neutral in bureaucratic decision-making – Every decision must be based on regulations and the national interest, not on the interests of certain groups.
He also touched upon the “17+8 People’s Demands” movement that emerged during the demonstrations. Otto reminded civil servants to remain aware of social dynamics but not to become involved in voicing political stances.
“Civil servants must not be provoked into expressing political stances, let alone escalate the situation through comments or posts on social media that could create perceptions of partisanship,” he emphasized.
Otto Hasibuan called on all civil servants, particularly within the Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, to make this joint assembly a momentum to strengthen their commitment to neutrality.
“Neutrality is not a burden, but an honor. By being neutral, we safeguard the credibility of the bureaucracy, protect democracy, and ensure that law is upheld, human rights are respected, and immigration and correctional services are delivered fairly and professionally,” he concluded.
This assembly served as a reminder for all civil servants to maintain integrity and professionalism, while also strengthening public trust in government bureaucracy.
Present at the assembly were the Head of the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Eem Nurmanah, Division Heads, the Head of General Affairs and Administration, along with the staff of Kanwil Kemenkum Bali. (*)
