Public Information Disclosure in Indonesia: Legal Effectiveness and Enforcement Challenges

Abstract

This research discusses the effectiveness and challenges in implementing Law Number 14 of 2008 concerning Public Information Disclosure  in Indonesia amid the absence of strict sanctions for violations of transparency principles. Using a normative juridical method, the study examines the legal substance, institutional mechanisms, and practical implementation of the law across public bodies. The findings indicate that although the UU KIP has expanded citizens’ access to public information and promoted transparency in governance, its effectiveness remains constrained by the lack of binding sanctions and weak enforcement mechanisms. Many public institutions do not comply with their legal obligations to disclose information, and decisions issued by the Information Commission are often ignored without any legal consequences. This situation demonstrates that compliance tends to rely on moral awareness rather than legal deterrence. Therefore, strengthening sanction provisions and reforming enforcement mechanisms are urgently needed to ensure citizens’ constitutional right to information, enhance governmental accountability, and institutionalize transparency as a core value of democratic governance in Indonesia.