Chief of The Constitution Court Jimly Asshiddiqie, accompanied by General Secretary of the Constitution Court, Janedjri M. Gaffar and the National Secretary of Customary Law Community Saafroedin Bahar welcomed the delegation of the Surakarta Hadiningrat Palace which on that occasion was represented by Dra.GRAy. Koes Murtiyah as the Secretary General of the Surakarta Palace and Dr. KP. Eddy S Wirabhumi, SH. MM as the Palace’s Legal Counsel, on Saturday (22/12) at The Constitution Court Building.

In the meeting which was also intended as a mean of building goodwill relationship, GRAy Koes Murtiyah requested an explanation from the Chief Justice about the management of the Palace as part of the national cultures. All this time, according to Murtiyah, Surakarta Hadiningrat Palace as the actors in the culture had never been invited in the organisation and the preservation of the palace’s culture. “Actually, we are the role model of the tradition (Javanese culture in the Surakarta Palace), but we are never given any attention from the government,” said Murtiyah.

Meanwhile, according to Dr. Eddy The Act Number 32 Year 2004 on Provincional Government (UU Pemda) did not match the existing Customary Law. The Act, continued Eddy, did not seem to protect the culture, in fact it contradicted the customary law.

Further explained by Eddy, the Act on Provincional Government which was a product of a political system had brought the traditional culture into the politic domain. The effect of making cultures as a political issue, explained Eddy, was  that the cultural agents would be put aside by political interests. As the result, the Palace as a cultural institution was weakened. "We just want the Palace as a cultural institution could be recognised as a Customary Institution. Just by recognising our existence, we have felt satisfied,” said Eddy.

Responding to the remark, the Chief Justice said that after the reformation a cultural entity should be gradually made stronger because it was guaranteed by The 1945 Constitution. “In Article 18B Paragraph (2) and Article 28I Paragraph (3) on Customary Law Community which also include palaces, had been strictly regulated the State’s recognition on cultural entities”, explained Jimly.

Besides that, according to Jimly, The Constitution Court as a judicial institution which had become the guardian of the constitution also had the responsibility to push the Central Government and the Regional Government to realise and do the protection programs towards the customary law community. “These should be done in order to realise the Constitution promise on the respect and the protection of the Palace’s customary law community as a cultural unit,” added Jimly.

Related to the protection of the culture, Jimly also reminded that besides as a part of the education, the culture was also part of tourism. “Therefore, let us not forget to protect our Nation Cultural Assets. So that the cultural assets are not sold to other countries, that give more serious attention towards Indonesian cultures,” revealed Jimly. [Andhini Sayu Fauzia/Yogi Djatnika]