Ethics is related to scales based on human reason that guides our behavior.
By
Bivitri Susanti
·4 minutes read
Mohon maaf lahir batin (Forgive me body and soul). This simple sentence is a statement of extraordinary humility because it breaks down the law-based wrong-correct calculation. Its virtue values are so basic that religious barriers are often unimportant. We all beg and offer forgiveness to each other on Idul Fitri. Unfortunately, wrong-correct calculation based on ethics is not carried out on other days by state officials.
Ethics is related to scales based on human reason that guides our behavior. In the context of the state, ethics is more fundamental than the law and formal rules made in political spaces, which can be polluted by various political interests of the group. Ethics is based on the thinking about the nature of the state, which at first (and in the end) must be about citizens, not the authorities.
At this time the song seems wrong to some people because it is not the people who are guaranteed prosperity, but only a group of people who have power or are close to power.
"The people are guaranteed prosperity", as in the excerpt of the old song about Idul Fitri by Ismail Marzuki, should be the goal of the leaders. At this time the song seems wrong to some people because it is not the people who are guaranteed prosperity, but only a group of people who have power or are close to power.
People who benefit from power often act unethically. For example, when a state official presents data to justify a view on a political event, that official has an ethical obligation to disclose the source. However, when the source of the data was questioned, the official insisted on his right not to disclose the source of the data and ignored the ethics of how authorities should act.
The same applies to the formation of legislation. History records that the non-participation quick process was carried out when the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government revised the Law on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for two weeks, the Mineral and Coal Law for one week, the State Capital Law for two weeks and the revision of the Law on the Establishment of Legislation, which was completed in one week. The measure is not how many days are spent on discussions, but whether there is really a deliberation process that involves people who are affected or have concerns about the various laws.
Protests against such an inconsiderate process will usually be answered by indicating the number of experts invited to the meeting and the number of universities holding seminars. However, in reality, experts and universities are frequently only used to legitimize participation. This means that in these cases, the legislators violate the ethics of legislation. The DPR and the government hold power from, by
and for the people. In an increasingly complex representative democracy, the number of votes at the time of voting becomes irrelevant as a basis for acting on behalf of the people.
The judiciary is also not spared from ethical violations. For example, the judge received an honorary professor title -- when at the time of awarding a professor title, there was an issue being discussed in the judicial review process of the Law on Teachers and Lecturers. Likewise, a judge had a direct conflict of interest by being part of the family of a head of government, who clearly has an interest in the legislative process. We can argue about whether there is an element in the article in the law or the code of ethics (formalized written ethics). However, ethics goes beyond the text of laws and codes.
Then the court, assembly or ethics council will agree.
There are still many other examples of the destruction of the ethical pillars of the state these days, starting from various conflicts of interest between state officials and business people up to the many ruling families who take part in the competition in the election of other public officials. All of these conflicts of interest raise ethical dilemmas. Unfortunately, the authorities often seek justification for their actions by law, by saying that no article or code of ethics has been violated. Then the court, assembly or ethics council will agree.
As a result, citizens' morality and citizens' trust in the law are also in poor condition because the leaders do not set an example and damage the ethical scales of citizens with their behavior. We can only hope for a reasonable citizen, who can measure the morality of the rulers. Believe me, rulers with damaged ethics will lose their legitimacy even more.
BIVITRI SUSANTI,Lecturer at the Jentera Indonesia School of Law
(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)
Editor:
NASRULLAH NARA
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