Indonesian House of Representatives member Bambang Soesatyo believes that Indonesia still needs more advocates to expand public access to legal services, given the low ratio of advocates to the population.
Bambang Soesatyo, also known as Bamsoet, said during the inauguration of the third law firm, Aldwin Rahadian & Partners that the increase in the number of advocates must be balanced with improvements in the quality and integrity of the profession.
"The number of advocates must continue to grow, but what's more important is their quality and integrity. Indonesia needs more advocates who can reach communities at all levels, master technological developments, and uphold the professional code of ethics," he said.
According to Bamsoet, by the end of 2025, Indonesia's population will reach around 288.3 million, while the number of advocates registered as users of the e-Court service will be around 69,813 people.
He said that although the data did not reflect all practicing advocates, the figures provided an indication that the ratio of advocates to the population was still relatively low.
Based on the study, ideally an advocate serves around 1,150 justice seekers each year, so the need for competent, integrity-based, and evenly distributed advocates is still quite large.
According to him, the addition of new law firms is expected to increase the number of advocates and expand access to legal services for people in various regions.
"Advocates have a moral obligation to ensure that everyone has the right to a full defense, even if the cases they handle attract public attention. That is the true meaning of 'due process of law,'" he said.
