Prof. Dr. Zainal Arifin Mochtar, S.H., LL.M., a lecturer at the Department of Constitutional Law of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FH UGM), was officially inaugurated as a Professor of State Institutional Law on Thursday (15/1/2026) at the UGM Senate Hall.
In his inaugural address entitled “Strengthening Conservatism and Weakening Independence of State Institutions: Exploring the Relationship and Mapping Paths for Reform,” Prof. Zainal examined the growing trend of weakening independent state institutions in Indonesia. He began by discussing the decline of independent institutions over the past decade amid the rise of conservatism and authoritarian tendencies, both globally and domestically. According to him, judicial institutions and unelected independent bodies were originally established as mechanisms to balance executive and legislative power, yet their independence has increasingly come under pressure.
Prof. Zainal argued that this phenomenon cannot be separated from broader global developments following the third wave of democratization, which encouraged the creation of independent institutions. In Indonesia, following the 1998 Reformasi movement, institutions such as the General Elections Commission (KPU), the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Constitutional Court (MK), the Judicial Commission (KY), the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), the Ombudsman, and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) were established to safeguard neutrality, transparency, accountability, and the principle of checks and balances as part of a broader rebalancing of power.
He further observed that the rise of populism and conservatism has shaped political strategies that reduce democracy to procedural mechanisms while simplifying the notion of popular sovereignty. Such developments have contributed to the weakening of independent institutions through regulatory interventions, budgetary controls, and institutional co-optation. In practice, he noted, the position of independent institutions often depends heavily on political decisions made in the House of Representatives and legal interpretations issued by the Constitutional Court.
According to Prof. Zainal, the future of independent state institutions depends on collective efforts to restore democratic balance and move away from increasingly conservative tendencies. He emphasized that constitutional reform cannot rely solely on regulatory amendments but requires multidisciplinary approaches and stronger engagement from civil society. He concluded by stressing that safeguarding and improving democracy is a shared responsibility.
Chair of the UGM Professorial Council, Prof. Dr. M. Baiquni, M.A., noted that Prof. Zainal is now one of 559 active professors at UGM and one of 18 active professors among the 29 professors affiliated with the Faculty of Law.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by numerous state officials, public figures, cultural leaders, and anti-corruption activists, including Attorney General ST Burhanuddin, former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Vice Minister of Law Prof. Dr. Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, S.H., M.Hum., Ganjar Pranowo, Anies Baswedan, Mahfud MD, cultural figure Butet Kartaredjasa, anti-corruption activist Novel Baswedan, Constitutional Court Justice Prof. Dr. Saldi Isra, S.H., M.P.A., and many other distinguished guests.
The inauguration of Prof. Zainal as Professor underscores the strategic role of higher education institutions in upholding democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law. The event also aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
