Indonesia moves to criminalize foreign bribery for OECD membership

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Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia is stepping up efforts to overhaul its anti-corruption rules to criminalize foreign bribery, a key requirement for full membership in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) by 2028.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said strengthening cross-border economic regulations has become increasingly vital as global trade and economic activity expand.

Indonesia ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) two decades ago, but explicit foreign bribery rules remain a mandatory precondition for OECD accession.

“The Anti-Corruption Law based on the UN was ratified 20 years ago, but there is another one related to bribery, especially for foreign bribery,” Airlangga said on Friday.

“We need this ratification as an initial part of the OECD membership process,” he said, adding that broader governance enhancement is running concurrently as part of the accession checklist.

Indonesia has completed technical reviews in 20 of 24 targeted sectors, about 80 percent of its accession roadmap.

However, remaining gaps, particularly in healthcare, are still under rigorous evaluation.

The legislative push centers on a long-awaited revision of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor), which is under government review and included in the 2025-2029 Medium-Term National Legislation Program.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairman Setyo Budiyanto said aligning national laws with global anti-corruption benchmarks is more than a diplomatic formality.

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“Accession to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention is not just a diplomatic agenda, but an important momentum to update national laws,” Setyo said, citing UNCAC Article 16 on foreign official bribery.

The KPK has submitted its recommendations for updating the Corruption Law to the Law Ministry.

The changes are meant to reinforce the OECD evaluation and legal reform targets under the 2025-2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), helping Indonesia clear final regulatory hurdles toward OECD membership within two years.

Translator: Bayu Saputra, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2026

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