Day 2: Law and Political Development in Asia Session IV: Ensuring the Rule of Law in Asia "National Ombudsman Commission of Indonesia: Comparative Aspects"

In the history of control and supervision in Indonesia, 20 March 2000 is one more important date.That day many printing as well as electronic media in Jakarta reported and broadcasted the inauguration of the eight Ombudsmen of Indonesia in the Palace of the President of the Republic.Undoubtedly, for most Indonesian people's ears until then, even up to now, the word "ombudsman" is still undecipherable word.Whereas it is certain, the ombudsman system is one of the symbols of democracy respecting and promoting the rule of law.As a result, one cannot find any precedent in the history of modern democracy about the abolishing of an Ombudsman Institution. 1 On the contrary, some national statesneglecting the rule of law and governed by authoritarian and undemocratic rulersestablished the Ombudsman Institutions to pursue international sympathies for having false image as democratic governments respecting the rule of law and human rights.