DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/jis.24.1.2025.92-121

THE PRICE OF POLITICS: INSTITUTIONAL REENGINEERING AS ANTI-CORRUPTION DISMANTLEMENT UNDER JOKOWI’S ADMINISTRATION (2014-2024)

*Agie Nugroho Soegiono orcid scopus  -  Department of Public Administration, Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia
Ayu Puspita Ningrum scopus  -  Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University, Australia
Muhammad Dzulfikar Al Ghofiqi  -  Department of Public Administration, Universitas Airlangga | Indonesian Public Policy Network, Indonesia
Nurul Jamila Hariani  -  Department of Public Administration, Universitas Airlangga | Airlangga Institute for Learning and Growth, Indonesia
Eko Supeno scopus  -  Department of Public Administration, Universitas Airlangga | Airlangga Institute for Learning and Growth, Indonesia
Open Access Copyright (c) 2025 Agie Nugroho Soegiono, Ayu Puspita Ningrum, Muhammad Dzulfikar Al Ghofiqi, Nurul Jamila Hariani, Eko Supeno under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0.

Citation Format:
Abstract

This study maps corruption trends in Indonesia during President Joko Widodo’s administration (2014–2024) using a systematic mixed studies review (SMSR) with a Parallel-results Convergent Synthesis Design. By integrating a systematic literature review (SLR) and focus group discussions (FGDs), this research uncovers the entrenched structural, political, and bureaucratic mechanisms that sustain corrupt practices. Corruption in Indonesia is not merely a legal violation but a systemic issue deeply embedded in governance structures, oligarchic influence, and patronage politics. Key drivers include weak democratic institutions, ineffective law enforcement, high political costs, and transactional politics in public office appointments. The study highlights how corruption persisted under Jokowi’s administration through the 2019 revision of the KPK Law, regulatory capture by political elites, and law enforcement intervention in procurement processes. Additionally, media and civil society organizations, which should serve as independent watchdogs, have often been co-opted by political and economic interests, undermining their role in anti-corruption efforts. The findings emphasize that eradicating corruption requires comprehensive institutional reforms, integrity-driven leadership, and fundamental cultural shifts toward transparency and accountability. A multidimensional strategy engaging political institutions, civil society, and oversight agencies is essential to breaking entrenched corruption networks. This study contributes to the broader discourse on governance by offering a framework for future research and policy reforms aimed at strengthening anti-corruption mechanisms in Indonesia.

Fulltext View|Download Email colleagues
Keywords: Corruption, Indonesia, Jokowi’s Administration, Systematic Mixed Studies Reviews (SMSR).

Article Metrics:

Article Info
Section: Articles
Language : EN
Most cited articles
Peran Indonesia Dalam Memerangi Terorisme ECONOMIC RESILIENCE PADA INDUSTRI KREATIF GUNAMENGHADAPI GLOBALISASI DALAM RANGKA KETAHANAN NASIONAL More cited articles
  1. Alfada, A. (2019a). Does Fiscal Decentralization Encourage Corruption in Local Governments? Evidence from Indonesia. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 12(3), 118. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm12030118
  2. Alfada, A. (2019b). The destructive effect of corruption on economic growth in Indonesia: A threshold model. Heliyon, 5(10), e02649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02649
  3. Aspinall, E. (2015). Oligarchic Populism: Prabowo Subianto’s Challenge to Indonesian Democracy. Indonesia, 99, 1. https://doi.org/10.5728/indonesia.99.0001
  4. Buchanan, J. M. (1962). Politics, Policy, and the Pigovian Margins 1. Economica, 29(113), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0335.1962.tb00004.x
  5. Buttle, J. W., Graham Davies, S., & Meliala, A. E. (2016). A cultural constraints theory of police corruption: Understanding the persistence of police corruption in contemporary Indonesia. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 49(3), 437–454. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004865815573875
  6. Chapman, D. W., & Lindner, S. (2016). Degrees of integrity: the threat of corruption in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 41(2), 247–268. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2014.927854
  7. Cruz, M. D., Jha, C. K., Kırşanlı, F., & Sedai, A. K. (2023). Corruption and FDI in natural resources: The role of economic downturn and crises. Economic Modelling, 119, 106122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2022.106122
  8. Hadiz, V. R. (2017). Indonesia’s Year of Democratic Setbacks: Towards a New Phase of Deepening Illiberalism? Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, 53(3), 261–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/00074918.2017.1410311
  9. Harish, J., & Kachhi, Z. (2024). Strategies for Combating Corruption in Poverty Alleviation (pp. 251–265). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-2101-0.ch015
  10. Hellman, J. S., Jones, G., & Kaufmann, D. (2000). Seize the State, Seize the Day: State Capture, Cormption and Influence in Transition. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/537461468766474836/pdf/multi-page.pdf
  11. Heywood, P. M., & Rose, J. (2015). Curbing Corruption or Promoting Integrity? Probing the Hidden Conceptual Challenge. In Debates of Corruption and Integrity (pp. 102–119). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137427649_6
  12. Hong, Q. N., Pluye, P., Bujold, M., & Wassef, M. (2017). Convergent and sequential synthesis designs: implications for conducting and reporting systematic reviews of qualitative and quantitative evidence. Systematic Reviews, 6(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-017-0454-2
  13. Indonesia Corruption Watch. (2023). Laporan Hasil Pemantauan Tren Korupsi Tahun 2023. https://www.antikorupsi.org/sites/default/files/dokumen/Narasi Laporan Hasil Pemantauan Tren Korupsi Tahun 2023.pdf
  14. Isra, S., Yuliandri, Amsari, F., & Tegnan, H. (2017). Obstruction of justice in the effort to eradicate corruption in Indonesia. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 51, 72–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2017.07.001
  15. Kompas.com. (2021). Menilik Kembali Aksi #ReformasiDikorupsi Dua Tahun Lalu... https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/09/20/10420161/menilik-kembali-aksi-reformasidikorupsi-dua-tahun-lalu?page=all
  16. Lewis, B. D., & Hendrawan, A. (2019). The impact of majority coalitions on local government spending, service delivery, and corruption in Indonesia. European Journal of Political Economy, 58, 178–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2018.11.002
  17. Marlina, A., Haq, I., Karauwan, D. E. S., & Waeno, M. (2024). UNVEILING THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION IN EDUCATION SECTOR: A SOLUTION FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE. PETITA: JURNAL KAJIAN ILMU HUKUM DAN SYARIAH, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.22373/petita.v9i2.283
  18. Mietzner, M. (2020). Populist Anti-Scientism, Religious Polarisation, and Institutionalised Corruption: How Indonesia’s Democratic Decline Shaped Its COVID-19 Response. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 39(2), 227–249. https://doi.org/10.1177/1868103420935561
  19. Mietzner, M. (2025). Flirting with Autocracy in Indonesia: Jokowi’s Majoritarianism and its Democratic Legacy. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034251318053
  20. Muhtadi, B. (2015). Jokowi’s First Year: A Weak President Caught between Reform and Oligarchic Politics. Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, 51(3), 349–368. https://doi.org/10.1080/00074918.2015.1110684
  21. Muhtar, Sutaryo, & Sriyanto. (2018). Corruption in Indonesian local government: Study on triangle fraud theory. International Journal of Business and Society, 19(2), 536–552
  22. Okiri, F. O., Ngugi, L. W., & Wandayi, J. O. (2019). Strengthening Integrity & Preventing Corruption in the Judiciary in Kenya. Beijing Law Review, 10(01), 131–152. https://doi.org/10.4236/blr.2019.101008
  23. Paranata, A. (2022). The miracle of anti-corruption efforts and regional fiscal independence in plugging budget leakage: evidence from western and eastern Indonesia. Heliyon, 8(10), e11153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11153
  24. Power, T. P. (2018). Jokowi’s Authoritarian Turn and Indonesia’s Democratic Decline. Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, 54(3), 307–338. https://doi.org/10.1080/00074918.2018.1549918
  25. Prabowo, H., Hamdani, R., & Sanusi, Z. (2018). The New Face of People Power: An Exploratory Study on the Potential of Social Media for Combating Corruption in Indonesia. Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 12(3), 19–40. https://doi.org/10.14453/aabfj.v12i3.3
  26. Prakasa, S. U. W., Asis, & Sahid, M. M. (2022). Reduce Corruption in Public Procurement: The Effort Towards Good Governance. Bestuur, 10(1), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.20961/bestuur.v10i1.51339
  27. Purwaningsih, T., & Widodo, B. E. C. (2020). The Interplay of Incumbency, Political Dynasty and Corruption in Indonesia: Are Political Dynasties the Cause of Corruption in Indonesia? UNISCI Journal, 18(53), 157–176. https://doi.org/10.31439/UNISCI-89
  28. Putra, N. R., & Linda, R. (2022). IMPACT OF SOCIAL CHANGE ON SOCIETY FROM THE CRIME OF CORRUPTION. Integritas : Jurnal Antikorupsi, 8(1), 13–24. https://doi.org/10.32697/integritas.v8i1.898
  29. Riyadi, B. S. (2022a). Culture of Abuse of Power Due to Conflict of Interest to Corruption for Too Long on The Management form Resources of Oil and Gas in Indonesia. International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 9, 247–254. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2020.09.23
  30. Riyadi, B. S. (2022b). Culture of Abuse of Power in Indonesia from the Perspective of Criminology and Law. International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 9, 274–284. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2020.09.26
  31. Riyadi, B. S., & Mustofa, M. (2020). Corruption Culture on Managing Natural Resources: The Case Political Crime “Papa asking Stock of PT. Freeport Indonesia.” International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 9, 26–36. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2020.09.04
  32. Rose-Ackerman, S., & Palifka, B. J. (2016). Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and Reform (Second Edi). Cambridge University Press
  33. Ross, M. L. (2012). The Oil Curse. Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400841929
  34. Rosser, A., & Kartika, W. (2020). Conflict, contestation, and corruption reform: the political dynamics of the EITI in Indonesia. Contemporary Politics, 26(2), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569775.2019.1693244
  35. Stephenson, M. C. (2020). Corruption as a Self-Reinforcing Trap: Implications for Reform Strategy. The World Bank Research Observer, 35(2), 192–226. https://doi.org/10.1093/wbro/lkaa003
  36. Suwana, F. (2020). What motivates digital activism? The case of the Save KPK movement in Indonesia. Information, Communication & Society, 23(9), 1295–1310. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2018.1563205
  37. Syarif, L., & Faisal, F. (2019). Addressing the Root of Political Corruption in Indonesia. Jurnal Antikorupsi INTEGRITAS, 5(2), 191–198. https://doi.org/10.32697/integritas.v5i2.487
  38. Tegnan, H., Karjoko, L., Barkhuizen, J., & Bajrektarevic, A. H. (2021). Mining Corruption and Environmental Degradation in Indonesia: Critical Legal Issues. BESTUUR, 9(2), 90. https://doi.org/10.20961/bestuur.v9i2.55219
  39. Tempo.co. (2025). Jokowi Masuk Nominasi Tokoh Terkorup 2024 Versi OCCRP, Barisan Pendukungnya Berang. https://www.tempo.co/politik/jokowi-masuk-nominasi-tokoh-terkorup-2024-versi-occrp-barisan-pendukungnya-berang--1190395
  40. Wahyudi, S. (2019). Penal Policy on Assets Recovery on Corruption Cases in Indonesia. Journal of Indonesian Legal Studies, 4(1), 45–72. https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v4i01.28224

Last update:

No citation recorded.

Last update: 2026-11-10 22:36:42

No citation recorded.