New Bill Proposed to Rename DPR as ‘Department of Personal Rewards’
A new bill in Indonesia proposes renaming DPR to 'Department of Personal Rewards'. Critics say it's redundant. Here’s what the rebrand actually means.
JAKARTA — Members of Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) have submitted a new bill that would officially rename the legislature to the Department of Personal Rewards (still DPR). Lawmakers say the rebranding better reflects the institution’s “core operating function” and will help the public “align their expectations accordingly.”
“We believe in honest government,” said bill co-sponsor Arwan S. Gunarto, speaking from a committee retreat in Geneva. “And it’s time the name matched the mission. The term ‘House of Representatives’ implies things like representation, lawmaking, and oversight. None of which really apply.”
The proposed name change is part of a broader initiative called Program Transformasi Imajinatif, aimed at “managing perception through structural honesty.” In the 148-page draft bill, legislators argue that the new name will reduce confusion, lower citizen expectations, and allow members to focus fully on their primary tasks: collecting allowances, attending state-funded conferences, and signing attendance sheets from home.
A leaked FAQ attached to the bill outlines the benefits of the new name:
“Personal Rewards” clarifies that the primary output of the institution is internal benefit.
The acronym DPR remains unchanged, avoiding unnecessary printing costs.
Public complaints can now be redirected to the appropriate office, Department of Public Resentment, to be established later.
“This is not satire,” Arwan added. “We just want to be accurate. Like when Bank Syariah changed logos or when ministers rename state-owned companies to hide their debt. Same principle.
”Reaction from civil society groups was swift and cynical. Anti-corruption watchdogs called the bill “unintentionally honest,” while student protesters at University of Indonesia issued a joint statement asking, “Wait, wasn’t it already that?”
“Well, sure, it's redundant,” said Dinda P., a political science lecturer who described the move as “accidental reform.” “But if institutions can’t deliver results, the least they can do is stop lying about what they are.”
An independent policy analyst called the bill “a masterstroke of bureaucratic trolling,” and predicted that other departments would follow suit:
Kementerian Pertahanan (Defense Ministry) → Kementerian Pengadaan Alutsista yang Tidak Pernah Datang
KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission) → Komisi Pernah Kuat
Ministry of Communication → Ministry of Blocked Websites
Others, however, have warned that the name change could further erode public trust in government. A senior editor at a national newspaper lamented that satire was now impossible. “How can we make jokes when reality is already doing it for us?”
When pressed about legislative output, Arwan defended the institution’s priorities. “Law-making is stressful and unpredictable. Branding, on the other hand, is measurable, funded, and can be outsourced to a consultancy in Singapore.”
He pointed to recent DPR achievements such as:
Approving Rice Allowance Indexation linked to mall food court inflation rates.
Creating a Monthly Oversight Rest Period (MORP) to improve work-life balance.
Introducing Silent Deliberation Rooms in the DPR building, where lawmakers can not hear constituents more comfortably.
He also revealed that the new name would come with a revamped official website, including a “Track My Allowance” dashboard and an “Auto-Reply Generator” for public complaints. The homepage will feature inspirational quotes such as:
"Serving the Nation—One Claim Form at a Time.”
The bill is expected to pass without debate, due to a “Scheduled Microphone Maintenance Week” coinciding with its reading.
At press time, lawmakers were celebrating early consensus on the bill at a “Comparative Naming Workshop” in Dubai, billed to the public as a study tour on legislative transparency.
No new laws have been passed this quarter, but several members were seen filling out paperwork for the newly reinstated Cognitive Fatigue Allowance.
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