Zainal Arifin Mochtar (born 8 December 1978), also known as Uceng, is an Indonesian lecturer, writer, and constitutional law expert.

Zainal Arifin Mochtar
Mochtar in 2023
Born (1978-12-08) 8 December 1978 (age 46)
Other namesUceng
Alma materGadjah Mada University (S.H. and Ph.D)
Northwestern University (LL.M)
Occupations
  • Lecturer
  • writer
  • constitutional law expert

Early life and education

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Mochtar was born on 8 December 1978 in Makassar, South Sulawesi, as the youngest of seven children of Mochtar Husein (died 2017), a cleric, and Ummi Zaitun.[1][2][3][4] His father was a great cleric from the Mandar land who was nicknamed the “Lion of the Podium” and founded the Nuhiyah Pambusuang Islamic Boarding School in Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi.[1] Husein was also active in the religious organization the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) until he became the Chairman of the MUI of South Sulawesi.[1]

Mochtar once wanted to study in the Geological Engineering Department.[1] When registering for college, he listed the Geological Engineering Department of Gadjah Mada University as his first choice and the Faculty of Law as his second choice.[1][5] It turned out that he was accepted as his second choice and then continued his higher education at the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University (FH UGM), but his desire to enter geological engineering had not disappeared.[1][5] Two years later, Mochtar tried again and put geological engineering as his first choice but was not accepted.[1][5] He then chose to continue his law studies.[1] While studying, Mochtar often discussed with his friends.[1] He was in a social environment that liked discussions that helped hone his critical thinking.[1] They then created the Wednesday forum, which is a discussion activity held on Wednesdays whose administrators rotate among its members.[1][5] Discussions are carried out with philosophical, contemporary, and other thoughts.[1] This experience had a lot of positive impacts on his academic performance.[1] Mochtar was then elected as Chair of the Senate of the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University.[1][5] Even while still a student, he had become a researcher at the Constitutional Court of Indonesia under the guidance of Jimly Asshiddiqie.[1][5] Mochtar completed his studies and earned a law degree in 2003, with a final assignment entitled "The Concept of Accountability of Perpetrators of Crimes Against Humanity in the Human Rights Court".[1][2][3][4] He then continued his master's degree at Northwestern University in 2004 and graduated in 2006 with a thesis entitled "The Duck of Human Rights (The threat of Privatization for Economic and Social Rights in Indonesia)".[1][2][3][4][5] Mochtar also attended the Summer School Administrative Law course program between Gadjah Mada University and Maastricht University in 2006 and the Summer School American Legal System at Georgetown University Law Center.[1][2][4][3] He earned his Ph.D from Gadjah Mada University in 2012.[1][2][3][4][5]

Career

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Mochtar with Denny Indrayana in 2018

Mochtar started his career as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University in 2004.[1][2][3][4][5] He was then active in various anti-corruption activities, such as served as a Member of the Task Force Team for the Drafting of the Corruption Court Law in 2007, Director of Advocacy for the Center for Anti-Corruption Studies (PUKAT) of the Faculty of Law, UGM from 2008 to 2017, and a Member of the Clean Sweep Task Force for Illegal Levies.[1][2][3][4]

Mochtar appeared in a numerous television program about politics and law.[4] In 2014, he became a moderator in the presidential and vice presidential debate in the 2014 Indonesian presidential election.[4]

Mochtar also served as a Member of the Audit Board of the Financial Services Authority from 2015 to 2017 and a Member of the Commissioner of Pertamina EP from 2016 to 2019.[1][2][3][4] He also served as a Member of the Non-Judicial Settlement Team for Human Rights Violations in 2022.[1][2][3][4] Mochtar then served as Deputy Chairman of the Tax Supervisory Committee from 2023 to 2026.[1][2][3][4]

 
Mochtar in 2023

In 2024, Mochtar starred in the film Dirty Vote, a documentary released by the Center for Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK) via YouTube, along with Bivitri Susanti and Feri Amsari.[3] The film then became trending on various social media because it was uploaded during the quiet period of the 2024 Indonesian general election with 3.4 million views on the first day of broadcast.[3] In the documentary, the three reveal various instruments of power that have been used to win elections and undermine democracy.[3] These things are explained with an analysis of constitutional law.[3]

Bibliography

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  • Suara Untuk Eksistensi Negara Kepulauan: Catatan Atas RUU Kementerian Negara (2007)
  • Panduan KKN Tematik Pemantauan Peradilan (2008)
  • Lembaga Negara Independen (2016)
  • Korupsi dan UNCAC serta Sistem Hukum Administrasi Negara (2018)
  • Menjerat Korupsi Partai Politik (2018)
  • Serpihan Pemikiran Hukum (2018)
  • Parlemen Dua Kamar: Analisis Perbandingan Menuju Sistem Bikameral Efektif (2018)
  • Menegakkan Konstitusi Melawan Korupsi (2018)
  • Dasar-dasar Ilmu Hukum: Memahami Kaidah, Teori, Asas, dan Filsafat Hukum (2024)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Erianto, Dwi (4 March 2024). "Pakar Hukum Tata Negara Universitas Gadjah Mada Zainal Arifin Mochtar". Kompaspedia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Dr. Zainal Arifin Mochtar, S.H., LL.M." Komite Pengawas Perpajakan Kementerian Keuangan Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Santo (12 February 2024). "Profil Zainal Arifin Mochtar Pakar Hukum Tata Negara UGM Pemeran Film Dirty Vote". Detik Jogja (in Indonesian). Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kurniawan, Moh. Afaf El (12 February 2024). F., Margaret Ratih (ed.). "Profil Zainal Arifin Mochtar, Pakar Hukum Tata Negara yang Tampil Dalam Dokumenter Dirty Vote". Narasi Tv (in Indonesian). Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Sulistyawaty, Agnes Rita (25 March 2022). "Zainal Arifin Mochtar, Pilihan Kedua". Kompas (in Indonesian). Retrieved 22 October 2024.
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Zainal Arifin Mochtar at IMDb