Wantimpres Secretary Responds to Lawsuit at MK Seeking to Limit Wantimpres Members to 9

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Secretary and a Member of the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres) M Qodari stated that he has just learned about a judicial review of Law Number 64 of 2024 concerning the Presidential Advisory Council at the Constitutional Court (MK).

"I just heard this information," he said in a voice message to Kompas.com when asked for a response regarding the lawsuit on Tuesday (20/10/2026).

Qodari mentioned that they will follow the judicial review process.

"What is clear is that we at Wantimpres will just follow the ongoing process. Thank you," he added.

Previously, Article 7 paragraph 1 of the Wantimpres Law was challenged at the Constitutional Court because it does not state any limits on the number of members of Wantimpres.

The petitioner argues that the absence of a norm setting a limit on members, which has resulted in the appointment of 26 members to the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres), leads to wasteful spending of the State Budget (APBN).

"The absence of a limit on the number of Wantimpres members directly results in an unpredictable burden on the State Budget (APBN). Because, salaries, facilities, and other aspects are covered by the APBN," the petition document states, as reported by the Constitutional Court’s website on Tuesday (20/10/2026).

The regulation in Article 7 paragraph (1) of the new Wantimpres Law that leaves the number of members entirely to the 'needs of the President' is seen as problematic because it does not set a maximum limit.

This unlimited appointment is viewed as further burdening the state finances, especially since the financial entitlements for the Chair and Members of Wantimpres are set at IDR 76,500,000 per month based on Presidential Regulation Number 15 of 2026 amid an escalating APBN deficit in 2026.

"The fairest and most constitutional synthesis is not the total removal of limits, but rather the combination of that flexibility with a maximum limit of 9 (nine) members based on the President's needs, ensuring the President's discretion remains protected without violating efficient state budget governance," the petitioner wrote in the application.

In addition to questioning the appointment of 26 Wantimpres members on October 2, 2026, based on Presidential Decree Number 107/P of 2026, the petitioner also highlighted the existence of 10 Special Advisors to the President.

With a total of 36 individuals advising the President, the advisory institution's structure is considered overly bloated and at risk of repeating the historical inflation of members of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) in the past.

"This historical experience shows the risk of a significant increase in the number of members of the President's advisory institution when there are no clearly established limits on membership," the petitioner noted.

This material testing case was officially registered at the Constitutional Court with Case Number 389/PUU-XXIV/2026 on Friday, October 16, 2026, submitted by Muhamad Riziq Maulana.

In its petition, the petitioner requests that the MK grants the entire petition and declares Article 7 paragraph (1) of Law No. 64 of 2024 to be conditionally contradictory to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia as long as it is not interpreted to mean that the Presidential Advisory Council consists of a Chairperson who also acts as a member and several members whose number is set according to the President's needs of a maximum of 9 members, considering effective government administration and taking into account the efficiency of the APBN.