Politics · Indonesia · 8 hrs ago
Mahfud Warns Weak Rule of Law Could Threaten Indonesia’s 2045 Goal
Mahfud MD warned that democracy without strong law enforcement could bring disorder to Indonesia.
He made the warning during a lecture at Airlangga University in Surabaya, linking it to the country’s goal of becoming a prosperous nation by 2045.
He said good governance must be transparent, accountable, legally responsible and independent of political interference.
Mahfud argued that democracy gives people a way to oversee power, but freedom without rules can lead to anarchy.
He said Indonesia’s income per person is about $4,900, below a $5,500 level cited in studies as a condition for stable democracy.
Below that level, he said, countries are more vulnerable to authoritarian rule, while economic hardship and limited education can leave people open to demagogic leaders.
Mahfud said meeting the governance conditions could help Indonesia reach its 2045 goal and eliminate extreme poverty, but gave no specific next steps.
Mahfud MD warned that democracy without the rule of law could lead to disorder and threaten Indonesia’s 2045 development goal.
He said strong law enforcement is needed to protect democracy and national unity.
Mahfud said good governance must be transparent, accountable, legally responsible and independent from political interference.
He said Indonesia’s per-capita income was about US$4,900, below a US$5,500 threshold he cited for stable democracy.
Mahfud argued that meeting the necessary governance and institutional conditions could help Indonesia achieve its 2045 goal and end extreme poverty.
- Who
- Mahfud MD, a constitutional law expert and former head of Indonesia’s Constitutional Court.
- What
- He warned that democracy without the rule of law could threaten Indonesia’s 2045 goal.
- When
- He made the remarks on Oct. 29; the article was published on Oct. 30, 2026.
- Where
- At the Soetandyo Lecture at Airlangga University in Surabaya.
- Why
- He said law enforcement is needed to prevent disorder, protect democracy and preserve national unity.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Mahfud recalled a speech by Prabowo Subianto predicting Indonesia could break apart by 2030 because of widespread corruption.
Mahfud delivered the Soetandyo Lecture at Airlangga University in Surabaya and warned that democracy without law could threaten Indonesia’s 2045 goal.
CNN Indonesia published its report on Mahfud’s remarks.
- 2045 goal
- Indonesia Emas, or Golden Indonesia
- Lecture venue
- Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Airlangga University, Surabaya
- Per-capita income threshold
- US$5,500
- Indonesia’s current per-capita income
- About US$4,900
- Prabowo’s prediction recalled by Mahfud
- Indonesia could break apart by 2030
What people are saying
If democracy is not guarded by law, we may not reach Golden Indonesia [2045]; we may already have broken apart.
Democracy is not ideal. But it remains the best of all the bad options.
Democracy, according to the studies by Azyumardi Azra and Mr Boediono, will grow well if a country’s per-capita income is at least US$5,500.