From Jail to Jurisprudence: Hasto’s Unlikely Academic Turn After KPK Detention
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A Political Operative’s Second Act
Hasto Kristiyanto trades prison blues for law books
Hasto Kristiyanto, the once-powerful secretary-general of Indonesia’s PDI-P party, walked out of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detention center last week with an unexpected plan: enrolling in law school at Universitas Terbuka. For a man who spent years orchestrating political maneuvers for Megawati Sukarnoputri, it’s a pivot that’s equal parts pragmatic and poetic.
His detention—stemming from a graft case linked to the controversial Formula E racing event—never resulted in a formal indictment. But the 54-year-old emerged with a bruised reputation and a clear message: 'I want to understand the system that detained me,' he told reporters, clutching a stack of legal textbooks.
The irony isn’t lost on Jakarta’s political circles. This is the same Hasto who, just two years ago, dismissed corruption allegations as 'political theater.' Now, he’s seeking mastery of the very laws that nearly ensnared him.
Why Universitas Terbuka?
Indonesia’s open university becomes a refuge for fallen elites
Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia’s state-run distance learning institution, has quietly become the academic sanctuary of choice for scandal-tainted figures. Former Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara enrolled there after his bribery conviction. Now, Hasto joins the roster.
'It’s not Harvard, but it’s strategic,' says Andi Wijayanto, a political analyst at UI. 'No campus protests, flexible schedules for someone rebuilding their image.' The university’s open admission policy and online coursework allow students like Hasto to avoid the scrutiny of traditional law faculties.
Critics call it rehabilitation theater. Supporters insist it’s genuine redemption. Either way, the enrollment numbers tell a story: Universitas Terbuka’s law program saw a 17% spike in applications this year—many from mid-career professionals with 'complicated' resumes.
The Shadow of Formula E
How a $1.5 million scandal still haunts Jakarta
Hasto’s legal troubles trace back to Jakarta’s ill-fated 2022 Formula E race—a pet project of then-Governor Anies Baswedan. Investigators allege Rp 23 billion ($1.5 million) in kickbacks flowed through a web of contractors and middlemen. While Hasto was never charged, his 45-day detention left scars.
'This isn’t just about Hasto,' says KPK watchdog Febri Diansyah. 'Formula E became a symbol of how elite networks monetize public projects.' The race itself was a flop: ticket sales cratered, and the track damaged Jakarta’s historic Monas square.
Now, with Anies eyeing a 2024 presidential run and Hasto studying torts instead of stump speeches, the scandal’s aftershocks continue. The KPK’s case file remains open—a Sword of Damocles for everyone involved.
PDI-P’s Quiet Distancing
Megawati’s party lets a loyalist fade into academia
Notice who wasn’t at Hasto’s post-detention press conference? Any senior PDI-P figures. Party insiders whisper that Megawati—once Hasto’s fiercest defender—has shifted to a 'wait-and-see' stance. 'He’s radioactive until the legal cloud dissipates,' admits one Central Java cadre.
The calculus is cold but clear: PDI-P can’t afford another graft-adjacent scandal after the 2019 electronic ID case toppled speaker Setya Novanto. Hasto’s law school gambit buys time. If he emerges with a degree and a clean slate, rehabilitation is possible. If not? 'Universitas Terbuka graduates don’t get their old jobs back,' snipes a Golkar strategist.
The Bigger Picture
What Hasto’s story says about Indonesia’s corruption pipeline
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Hasto’s trajectory—powerbroker to detainee to student—is becoming a recognizable arc in Indonesian politics. Since 2019, at least eight high-profile figures have pursued degrees post-scandal, leveraging academia as a halfway house between disgrace and redemption.
Legal scholars debate whether this represents progress or loophole exploitation. 'Studying law doesn’t absolve you of breaking it,' argues University of Indonesia’s Hikmahanto Juwana. But others see value in forced education: 'Better they read Black’s Law Dictionary than plot comebacks in prison,' counters a KPK advisor.
For now, Hasto’s story pauses as he hits the books. But in a system where power and law constantly collide, don’t bet against his next chapter being written in a courtroom—whether as student, defendant, or perhaps, one day, counsel.
#Politics #Corruption #Indonesia #LawSchool #PDIP
