Heber Anggara Pandapotan: Applying Australian Legal Education to Improve Audits of Public Projects
As an internal auditor at Indonesia’s Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), Heber Anggara Pandapotan has been active in reshaping dispute resolution in public projects. Heber joined the public sector in 2014 after graduating from Universitas Negeri Padjadjaran.
While encountering increasingly complex cases when working in Ambon, Heber realised there were limitations in mechanisms used to evaluate claims in government procurement when state and private interests collided. In mediating a high-profile dispute between three state-owned companies and a government ministry, Heber recommended a significant adjustment in the payable amount. The experience led Heber to want to better understand about risk and contractual responsibility.
Study and Living Experience: Challenge and Impact
With an Australia Awards Scholarship, Heber was accepted in Master of Laws program at the University of Melbourne in 2019 although his departure was delayed to 2022 due to COVID-19. His study focused on construction dispute resolution, directly supporting the kind of work he handled at BPKP. During the study period, he opted for the research paper route for all eight subjects rather than final exams. This experience demanded a high level of discipline, especially since Heber was also working part-time and supporting his family in Melbourne.
‘The learning system was very different… (y)ou had to study everything beforehand. The classroom was just for discussion… It forced me to be more independent,..’ Heber said.
Introducing Risk Allocation Theory in Indonesia
One of the most significant takeaways from Heber’s study in Melbourne was learning about Risk Allocation theory.
‘Previously, claims submitted by contractors were accepted as long as they were technically justified,’ he explained. ‘With the Risk Allocation theory, I could identify risks that should rightly fall on the contractors.’
On returning to Indonesia in 2023, Heber began applying the theory to his work at BPKP. He was able to assess contracts more critically and flag inappropriate risk transfers. One of the first major applications of this framework was in an infrastructure project in Palu, Central Sulawesi. The contractor submitted a claim of IDR 93 billion. After auditing the contract, Heber determined that only IDR 54 billion was eligible.
His approach also influenced institutional change. BPKP revised its Standard Operating Procedures for claim audits to incorporate the Risk Allocation principles.
Since his return, Heber has led multiple audit teams and shared his knowledge widely. He is frequently invited to speak at national and international seminars, including events hosted by the Indonesian Dispute Board Association (PADSK) and the Indonesian National Arbitration Board (BANI). As the only auditor at BPKP with a legal education focused on construction dispute resolution, his input has helped state institutions understand that not all cost overruns can be justified or paid by the state.
Heber has maintained close contact with professors from Melbourne Law School. He invites academics from the university to speak at seminars organised by BPKP and other institutions allowing Indonesian professionals to gain insights from global experts in construction law and dispute resolution. He is also active in the Melbourne University alumni community in Indonesia, regularly participating in meetups.
'This ongoing relationship has been valuable in maintaining my academic standards and expanding professional networks that contribute to institutional learning,' he shared.
