Criminal Liability for Corruption of Bribery: Problems and Legal Reform

Rian Saputra; M Zaid; Muhammad Kurniawan Budi Wibowo; Willy Naresta Hanum; Devi Triasari

doi:10.15294/jllr.v6i4.22251

Authors

Rian Saputra Faculty of Law, Universitas Slamet Riyadi, Indonesia Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5421-8396
M Zaid Faculty of Law, Universitas Islam Riau, Indonesia Author
Muhammad Kurniawan Budi Wibowo Faculty of Syariah and Islamic Economy, Institut Islam Mambaul Ulum, Indonesia Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3621-1198
Willy Naresta Hanum Faculty of Law, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3225-9776
Devi Triasari Faculty of Law, University of Adelaide, Australia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15294/jllr.v6i4.22251

Keywords:

Legal Reform, Corruption, Bribery, Legal Uncertainty

Abstract

This study aims to clarify the concerns of bribery and corruption within Indonesia’s legal framework for combating corruption, particularly with the duality in establishing legal norms that support criminal liability for bribery offenses. After identifying the concerns, this study aims to suggest ideas for amending bribery and corruption legislation based on legal certainty. This normative legal examination utilizes a legislative methodology and a comparative law framework. The study’s findings reveal that the Corruption Eradication Law, which regulates bribery offenses, engenders legal ambiguity in enforcing such crimes, as the legislators, namely the government and the Indonesian Parliament, have instituted provisions for bribery offenses that lack consistency. The manifestation of this phenomenon is mainly determined by the subjective assessments of law enforcement officials concerning the relevant statute. The subjective discretion of law enforcement officials in choosing relevant statutes may lead to the abuse of power concerning civil servants,state officials, and judges who accept bribes. To establish legal certainty, criminal liability for bribery may be achieved by amending Article 12(a) of the Corruption Eradication Law as follows: A civil servant or state official who accepts a gift or promise, with knowledge or reasonable suspicion that it is intended to induce him to act or refrain from acting contrary to his obligations, shall face a prison sentence of no less than 1 year and no more than 20 years, in addition to a penalty equivalent to five times the value of the bribe.

References

Aditya, Tatu. ‘Reforming Criminal Impacts in the Law of State Finance: Legal Certainty for State-Owned Enterprise’. Indonesian Law Journal 15, no. 2 (2022): 125–40. https://doi.org/10.33331/ilj.v15i2.97.

Akbar, Reynaldi Dwi Kusuma, and Yeni Widowaty. ‘Pertimbangan Hakim Menjatuhkan Sanksi Dalam Tindak Pidana Suap Di Bidang Pengadaan Barang Dan Jasa’. Indonesian Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (IJCLC) 3, no. 2 (2022): 90–102. https://doi.org/10.18196/ijclc.v3i2.15525.

Aldyan, Arsyad, Kartika Asmanda, Rizal Akbar, and Abdelrahman Alasttal. ‘Local Wisdom-Based Environmental Management Policy in Indonesia: Challenges and Implementation’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 3 (2024): 332–54. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i3.100.

Arifin, Ridwan, Sigit Riyanto, and Akbar Kurnia Putra. ‘Collaborative Efforts in ASEAN for Global Asset Recovery Frameworks to Combat Corruption in the Digital Era’. Legality: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum 31, no. 2 (2023): 329–43. https://doi.org/10.22219/ljih.v31i2.29381.

Bussmann, Kai D., Anja Niemeczek, and Marcel Vockrodt. ‘Company Culture and Prevention of Corruption in Germany, China and Russia’. European Journal of Criminology 15, no. 3 (2018): 255 – 277. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370817731058.

Cahyani, Tinuk Dwi, Muhamad Helmi Md Said, and Muhamad Sayuti Hassan. ‘A Comparison Between Indonesian and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Laws’. Padjadjaran Jurnal Ilmu Hukum 10, no. 2 (2023): 275–99. https://doi.org/10.22304/pjih.v10n2.a7.

Cheng, Hongming, and L Ling. ‘White Collar Crime and the Criminal Justice System: Government Response to Bank Fraud and Corruption in China’. Journal of Financial Crime 16, no. 2 (2009): 166 – 179. https://doi.org/10.1108/13590790910951849.

Chu, Hongli, Shengmin Sun, and Jian Wei. ‘Fiscal Pressure and Judicial Decisions: Evidence from Financial Penalties for Official Corruption in China’. International Review of Law and Economics 77 (2024): 106156. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irle.2023.106156.

Clancy, Áine. ‘A Better Deal? Negotiated Responses to the Proceeds of Grand Corruption. Criminal Law Forum 33, no. 2 (2022): 149 – 188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10609-022-09436-6.

Control, T H E, and O F Corruption. Institutions, Governance and the Control of Corruption. Institutions, Governance and the Control of Corruption, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65684-7.

Deng, Jinting. ‘The National Supervision Commission: A New Anti-Corruption Model in China’. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice 52 (2018): 58–73. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2017.09.005.

Du, Qingjie, and Yuna Heo. ‘Political Corruption, Dodd–Frank Whistleblowing, and Corporate Investment’. Journal of Corporate Finance 73 (2022): 102145. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.102145.

Fariaman Laila. ‘Penerapan Hukum Pidana Pada Tindak Pidana Gratifikasi Yang Dilakukan Dalam Jabatan’. Jurnal Panah Keadilan 1, no. 2 (2022): 1–16.

Fernando, Zico Junius, Beni Kurnia Illahi, Yagie Sagita Putra, and Ikhbal Gusri. Deep Anti-Corruption Blueprint Mining, Mineral, and Coal Sector in Indonesia. Cogent Social Sciences. Vol. 9, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2187737.

Fernando, Zico Junius, Pujiyono Pujiyono, Heru Susetyo, Septa Candra, and Panca Sarjana Putra. ‘Preventing Bribery in the Private Sector through Legal Reform Based on Pancasila’. Cogent Social Sciences 8, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2138906.

Firmandayu, Nilam, and Ayman Alameen Mohammed Abdalrhman. ‘Spatial Policy Regarding Carbon Trading for Climate Change Mitigation in Indonesia: Environmental Justice Perspective’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 3, no. 1 (2025): 1–29. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v3i1.113.

Guo, Zhiyuan. ‘Anti-Corruption Mechanisms in China after the Supervision Law’. Journal of Economic Criminology 1 (2023): 100002. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconc.2023.100002.

Hadjar, Sri Wulan, Osgar Sahim Matompo, and Irmawaty. ‘Small Claim Court as a Refund of State Losses Due to Corruption Crime by State Attorney’. Indonesian Research Journal in Legal Studies 01, no. 01 (2022): 73–86.

Halimatu Hira, Rr, Yolanda Savira, and Yunika Tresia. ‘Pemberantasan Tindak Pidana Suap Di Sektor Pertambangan Melalui Penguatan Kerja Sama Lembaga Penegak Hukum di Indonesia’. Jurnal Anti Korupsi 3, no. 2 (2021): 1–20. https://doi.org/10.19184/jak.v3i2.32300.

Hanum, Willy Naresta, Tran Thi Dieu Ha, and Nilam Firmandayu. ‘Eliminating Ecological Damage in Geothermal Energy Extraction: Fulfillment of Ecological Rights by Proposing Permits Standardization’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 2 (2024): 205–28. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i2.105.

Hanum, Willy Naresta, and Muhamad Nafi Uz Zaman. ‘Existence of Human Rights Protection in Land and Mining Conflicts: Evidence from Indonesia’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 3 (2024): 285–306. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i3.107.

Hartanto, Ponco, Subagio Gigih, and Riami Chancy. ‘Discourse of Ecological Damage as a State Financial Loss: Evidence from Indonesia’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 3 (2024): 307–31. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i3.110.

Helfer, Laurence R., Cecily Rose, and Rachel Brewster. ‘Flexible Institution Building in the International Anti-Corruption Regime: Proposing a Transnational Asset Recovery Mechanism’. American Journal of International Law 117, no. 4 (2023): 559 – 600. https://doi.org/10.1017/ajil.2023.32.

Hidayat, Shubhan Noor, Lego Karjoko, and Sapto Hermawan. ‘Discourse on Legal Expression in Arrangements of Corruption Eradication in Indonesia’. JOURNAL of INDONESIAN LEGAL STUDIES 5, no. 2 (2020): 391–418. https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v5i2.40670.

Hock, Branislav. ‘Policing Corporate Bribery: Negotiated Settlements and Bundling’. Policing and Society 31, no. 8 (2021): 950–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2020.1808650.

Huang, Chenghao, Zhi Jin, Siyang Tian, and Eliza Wu. ‘The Real Effects of Corruption on M&A Flows: Evidence from China’s Anti-Corruption Campaign’. Journal of Banking & Finance 150 (2023): 106815. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2023.106815.

Huber, Barbara. Sanctions against Bribery Offences in Criminal Law. Corruption, Integrity and Law Enforcement, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004481213_010.

Kahar, Muhammad Paeway Ebiem, Khoirul Lukman Rahmatullah, Faza Yuris, Ainul Azizah, and Sapti Prihatmini. ‘Delik Suap Dan Gratifikasi Dalam Tindak Pidana Korupsi: Studi Kasus Putusan Hakim Dalam Praktik Penegakan Hukum’. Jurnal Anti Korupsi 13, no. 1 (2023): 46. https://doi.org/10.19184/jak.v13i1.40007.

Kurniawan, Itok Dwi, Ismawati Septiningsih, Fitri Handayani, and Afridah Ikrimah. ‘Formal Requirements for Class Action Lawsuits in Environmental Cases in Indonesia: Problems and Solutions’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 3, no. 1 (2025): 79–103. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v3i1.114.

Laksito, FX. Hastowo Broto, Aji Bawono, and Afridah Ikrimah. ‘Reducing Community Participation in the Preparation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA): Evidence from Indonesia’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 2 (2024): 137–61. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i2.101.

Lund, Christian. ‘An Air of Legality–Legalization under Conditions of Rightlessness in Indonesia’. Journal of Peasant Studies 50, no. 4 (2023): 1295 – 1316. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2022.2096448.

Mahendra, Januar Rahadian, Rizal Akbar Aldyan, and Silas Oghenemaro Emovwodo. ‘Examining Indonesian Government Policies in Tackling Deforestation: Balancing Economy and Environment’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 1 (2024): 42–62. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i1.93.

Mahendra, Januar Rahadian, Edwin Setiawan, and Arbend Ficasso Van Hellend. ‘Corruption Eradication in Four Asian Countries: A Comparative Legal Analysis’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 2 (2024): 162–84. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i2.98.

Marcellinno, Matthew, and M Yazid Fathoni. ‘The Establishment of Simple Lawsuit Rules in Business Disputes in Indonesia: A Challenge to Achieve Fair Legal Certainty’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 1, no. 1 (2023): 19–35.

Muhamad, Nurisyal, and Norhaninah A. Gani. ‘A Decade of Corruption Studies in Malaysia’. Journal of Financial Crime 27, no. 2 (2020): 423 – 436. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-07-2019-0099.

Nurcahyo, Nanang, Ricky Ricky, FX Hastowo Broto Laksito, and Ramalina Ranaivo Mikea Manitra. ‘Reform of the Criminal Law System in Indonesia Which Prioritizes Substantive Justice’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 1 (2024): 89–108. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i1.91.

Ochnio, Ariadna H. ‘Recent Developments in EU Anti-Corruption Strategy: The Missing Element of the Return of Corrupt Assets to ‘Victim Countries’. Journal of Money Laundering Control 27, no. 7 (2024): 1 – 12. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMLC-11-2023-0176.

Pattinasarany, Yohanes. ‘Kepastian Hukum Kasasi Perkara Tata Usaha Negara Yang Dikeluarkan Oleh Pejabat Daerah’. Refleksi Hukum: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum 6, no. 2 (2022): 203–24. https://doi.org/10.24246/jrh.2022.v6.i2.p203-224.

Putra, Mas, Zenno Januarsyah, Dwidja Priyatno, Agung Sujati Winata, and Khairul Hidayat. ‘Penerapan Doktrin Business Judgment Rule Dalam Perkara Tindak Pidana Korupsi Karen Agustiawan’. Jurnal Ius Constituendum 7, no. 1 (2022): 143–58.

Putusan, Kajian, and Warih Anjari. ‘Penerapan Pemberatan Pidana Dalam Tindak Pidana Korupsi’. Jurnal Yudisial 15, no. 2 (2022): 263–81. https://doi.org/10.29123/jy.v15i2.507.

Quah, Jon S T. ‘Singapore’s Success in Combating Corruption: Lessons for Policy Makers’. Asian Education and Development Studies 6, no. 3 (2017): 263 – 274. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-03-2017-0030.

Rahadian, Januar, and Silas Oghenemaro. ‘Monodualistic and Pluralistic Punishment Politics in Criminal Code Reform: Lessons from Indonesia’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 1, no. 3 (2023): 225–43. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v1i3.17.

Sadi Muhammad. ‘Kepastian Hukum Terhadap Perlindungan Dan Pengelolaan Lngkungan Hidup Di Indonesia’. Jurnal Yudisial 13, no. 3 (2020): 311–27. https://doi.org/10.29123/jy.v13i3.345.

Salsabila, Salsabila, and Slamet Tri Wahyudi. ‘Peran Kejaksaan Dalam Penyelesaian Perkara Tindak Pidana Korupsi Menggunakan Pendekatan Restorative Justice’. Masalah-Masalah Hukum 51, no. 1 (2022): 61–70. https://doi.org/10.14710/mmh.51.1.2022.61-70.

Saputra, Rian, Muhammad Khalif Ardi, Pujiyono Pujiyono, and Sunny Ummul Firdaus. ‘Reform Regulation of Novum in Criminal Judges in an Effort to Provide Legal Certainty’. JILS (Journal of Indonesian Legal Studies) 6, no. 2 (2021): 437–82. https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v6i2.51371.

Saputra, Rian, Willy Naresta, and Vincent Ariesto. ‘Post-Mining Land Use Regulations and Practices in the United States of America: Lessons for Indonesia’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 3, no. 1 (2025): 104–33. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v3i1.118.

Saputra, Rian, Josef Purwadi Setiodjati, and Jaco Barkhuizen. ‘Under-Legislation in Electronic Trials and Renewing Criminal Law Enforcement in Indonesia (Comparison with United States)’. JOURNAL of INDONESIAN LEGAL STUDIES 8, no. 1 (2023): 243–88. https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v8i1.67632.

Saputra, Rian, Albertus Usada, and Muhammad Saiful Islam. ‘Ecological Justice in Environmental Criminal Sanctions for Corporations in Indonesia: Problems and Solutions’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 1 (2024): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i1.19.

Saputra, Rian, M Zaid, Matthew Marcellinno, and Wu Pei-chi. ‘Ecological Justice in Indonesia and China Post-Mining Land Use?’ Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 3 (2024): 254–84. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i3.108.

Saputra, Rian, M Zaid, Pujiyono Suwadi, Jaco Barkhuizen, and Tiara Tiolince. ‘Reconstruction of Chemical Castration Sanctions Implementation Based on the Medical Ethics Code (Comparison with Russia and South Korea)’. Lex Scientia Law Review 7, no. 1 (2023): 61–118. https://doi.org/10.15294/lesrev.v7i1.64143.

Saputra, Rian, M Zaid, and Devi Triasari. ‘Executability of the Constitutional Court’s Formal Testing Decision: Indonesia’s Omnibus Law Review’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 1, no. 3 (2023): 244–58. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v1i3.18.

Sari, Ratna Kumala, and Nyoman Serikat Putra Jaya. ‘Kebijakan Formulasi Pertanggungjawaban Pidana Korporasi Terhadap Perbuatan Trading in Influence Sebagai Tindak Pidana Korupsi’. Jurnal Pembangunan Hukum Indonesia 2, no. 1 (2020): 12–23. https://doi.org/10.14710/jphi.v2i1.12-23.

Sembiring, Imentari Siin, Elly Sudarti, and Andi Najemi. ‘Urgensi Perumusan Perbuatan Memperdagangkan Pengaruh Sebagai Tindak Pidana Korupsi’. Undang: Jurnal Hukum 3, no. 1 (2020): 59–84. https://doi.org/10.22437/ujh.3.1.59-84.

Siddiquee, Noore Alam, and Habib Zafarullah. ‘Absolute Power, Absolute Venality: The Politics of Corruption and Anti-Corruption in Malaysia’. Public Integrity 24, no. 1 (2022): 1 – 17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2020.1830541.

Skandiva, Razananda, and Beniharmoni Harefa. ‘Urgensi Penerapan Foreign Bribery Dalam Konvensi Antikorupsi Di Indonesia’. Integritas : Jurnal Antikorupsi 7, no. 2 (2022): 245–62. https://doi.org/10.32697/integritas.v7i2.826.

Su, Fan, and Chao Xu. ‘Curbing Credit Corruption in China: The Role of FinTech’. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge 8, no. 1 (2023): 100292. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2022.100292.

Sudarti, Elly, and Sahuri Lasmadi. ‘Harmonisasi Sistem Pemidanaan Dan Tujuan Pemidanaan Pada Tindak Pidana Korupsi Suap’. Pandecta 16, no. 1 (2021): 173–85.

Tawang, D A D. ‘Suap Dalam Tidak Pidana Korupsi Yang Ditangani Oleh Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi’. … Pidana Dan Pembangunan Hukum, 2020.

Trinchera, Tommaso. ‘Confiscation and Asset Recovery: Better Tools To Fight Bribery And Corruption Crime’. Criminal Law Forum 31, no. 1 (2020): 49 – 79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10609-020-09382-1.

Wicaksono, Muhammad Bagus Adi, and Wiwit Rahmawati. ‘Ecological Justice-Based Reclamation and Post-Mining Regulations in Indonesia: Legal Uncertainty and Solutions’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 2 (2024): 109–36. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i2.103.

Wicaksono, Muhammad Bagus Adi, and Devi Triasari. ‘Coal Post-Mining Reclamation Policies in Several Countries: Lessons for Indonesia’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 2, no. 3 (2024): 229–53. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v2i3.106.

Xu, Gang, Xue Wang, Ruiting Wang, Go Yano, and Rong Zou. ‘Anti-Corruption, Safety Compliance and Coal Mine Deaths: Evidence from China’. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 188 (2021): 458–88. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.05.013.

Yolanda, Elvara, Usman Usman, and Elly Sudarti. ‘Pemidanaan Pelaku Tindak Pidana Korupsi’. PAMPAS: Journal of Criminal Law 3, no. 2 (2023): 125–45. https://doi.org/10.22437/pampas.v3i2.18153.

Zaid, M., Rikcy Ricky, and Rakotoarisoa M H Sedera. ‘Blue Carbon Regulations and Implementation in Several Countries: Lessons for Indonesia’. Journal of Law, Environmental and Justice 3, no. 1 (2025): 30–78. https://doi.org/10.62264/jlej.v3i1.117.

Zhou, Kuo, Haotian Luo, Diyu Ye, and Yunqing Tao. ‘The Power of Anti-Corruption in Environmental Innovation: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China’. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 182 (2022): 121831. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121831.