The world’s development in the future would slide towards the Asian Pacific area. Despite the fact that in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia, the moslems are the majority of the people, the contribution to Islamic world was still insignificant. That demanded Islamic world in the area to open themselves. Therefore Indonesian moslems were expected to settle their internal problems, so that minor problems would not disturb the relationship between Indonesian moslems and the outer world.

That was one of the messages delivered by the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK), Jimly Asshiddiqie, in the Inauguration of National Board of Leaders of Islamic Students Alumni Corps [Korps Alumni Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (KAHMI)-ed.] at the National Museum Building, Jakarta, Saturday (22/3) night.

Jimly said that even though our country had Pancasila as the living principles, still other countries saw us as a moslem country. Therefore, the success in Indonesian development would also be seen as moslems’ success. “Whatever we succeed at will catch the world’s attention. Even, Egypt imitated us on the application of direct.Presidential Election. If someday Indonesia could be the champion on economy, Indonesia might be the Islamic world foundation”, Jimly explained.

Related to these, Jimly reminded about the importance of consolidating. In the future, the State’s role in democracy would not be as big as it nowadays.  There would be three aspects which has the same portion in applicating democracy. Those are civil society, the State, and the market. “Therefore, in applicating democracy we had to see the state configuration”, Jimly said.

Jimly also identified that the development of those things were also very significance. For exmple, the changes happened on the State through Constitution 1945 Amendment. The changes were up to 300%, and it would automatically change the setting of the State through the regulations.

The development also happened on the civil society.  “On civil society, we are the country which has the most non-government organizations (NGOs). In Saudi Arabia, there is no NGOs. In Europe, NGOs started to exist after French Revolution and  Industrial Revolution in England. So that, we can conclude that in Europe, the NGOs history started to exist after the government organizations”, Jimly described. But, contrary of that, the set up of the government organizations in Indonesia was based on the NGOs. It was signed by the existance of NGOs which set up before the country set. “For example, Boedi Oetomo and its predecessor, Sarekat Islam”, He added.

However, in the history of NGOs after Indonesian proclamacy, most of them were taken care by the State. The NGOs at the old order  The NGOs at the old order were held by the State and were all set by the State. “It also happened in the new order, the NGOs were the extension of the State. So, there were many NGOs which depended on the State”, explained The Chief Justice who is also the ex-member of HMI.

At this reformation era, there should be a clear limitation between the State and the civil society. Jimly said that in the short time, it could make some problems for the NGOs, because their organizations existance could not depend on the State anymore. But, if we lookout the future of it, it would raise the self-sustain of the NGOs. “Democracy would not continue perfectly if those three aspects are not strong”, Jimly said before he ended his Scientifical Oration.

The Inauguration Ceremony of the National Board of Leaders of Islamic Students Alumni Corps [Korps Alumni Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (KAHMI). A set of ceremony had been held for the National Board which held in three days (February 1-3 2008) , with the theme “Go Forward Together Respectful to Develop Our Country”. Beside holding a set of national workshops, the 8^th National Board of Leaders of Islamic Students Alumni Corps [Korps Alumni Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (KAHMI) also elected the Head of National Board of Leaders of Islamic Students Alumni Corps [Korps Alumni Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (KAHMI) period 2008-2013, DR. Fuad Bawazier, M.A. who is also a former minister of Finance in Development Cabinet VII

Beside Jimly, this ceremony also invited a former of the Head of the Lawmakers who is also a former of the Leaders of Islamic Students (HMI), Akbar Tanjung, and the Vice Ambassador of Malaysia. (Yogi Djatnika/Kencana Suluh Hikmah)