Pak Roestandi did not have to feel like leaving the Constitutional Court (MK), because Pak Roestandi had left so many services. We all would feel lost. Not only the nine Constitution Justices but also all employees until the janitors would lose someone with unique hand shake to everybody, everymorning before starting the day.

That was the remark made by the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Jimly Asshiddiqie, at the beginning of his speech at the Meet and Greet Lieu.Gen TNI (Ret.) H. Achmad Roestandi, S.H., and Prof. Dr. Moh. Mahfud MD, S.H., Tuesday (1/4), at the Constitutional Court Main Hall.

Next, Jimly told a story that in every Justice Deliberation Meeting (RPH), when every issue caused stress or conflict among justices. “If there was no Pak Roestandi, this Court would be furious. So the role of Pak Roestandi was very important. Unstressing tension, Causing tension to the unstressed,” said the Chief Justice humorously followed by a cheer of laughter from the audience.

As the replacement of Pak Roestandi, Jimly expected Mahfud MD to be willing to transfer Maduran jokes to the Court. “Especially because he has long experience with Gus Dur, I believe Pak Mahfud has many jokes,” continued Jimly humorously.

With the coming of Mahfud MD considered to have integrity, experience, and Statemanship to the Constitutional Court, Jimly expected that he would not reduced what had existed but to add strength and make the Constitutional Court more lively.

Besides that, Jimly also expected, If the Government really proposed Yusril Ihza Mahendra as a Constitutional Justice, then the Constitutional Court would be more colourful with characters possessing integrity and capability and Indonesian constitution could be guarded precisely. “I hope our country will be more in order, more successful, and promising prosperity, peacefulness, and justice to all citizen,” he said.

“Congratulation to Pak Roestandi, even though he is no longer a Constitutional Justice, his name will remain (in the Constitutional Court-ed.). Welcome Pak Mahfud,” said Jimly as he ended his speech.

Meanwhile in his speech, Constitutional Justice Achmad Roestandi read a poetry text as the summary of his service to the Constitutional Court. “Principally, I say my appreciation and thankfullness to everybody, to the Constitutional Court big family, and to the Parliament and other institutions for the cooperation and for performing satisfying result. To Pak Mahfud, I say welcome (to the Constitutional Court-ed.),” said Roestandi.

After Roestandi, Mahfud MD in his speech said that he could not be in Roestandi’s shoes in terms of role, function, and the ability to create the athmosphere as Roestandi had shown. “From the comments for Pak Roestandi I have read, he is a strong person in holding his principles but soft and well-mannerred. I feel hard to replace that,” he said.

Toward Roestandi, Mahfud MD had an impression as mentioned in Al Qur’an, that in the flowing water, there is a floating foam. The foam and water symbolized human’s life. The foam only followed where the water flows. “To me, Pak Roestandi is someone with water quality. Whereas people with foam quality will only flow redundantly,” explained Mahfud.

In this opportunity, Mahfud also answered questions from the press among others asking whether or not he had to open his reference books about Constitutional Law theories to be a Constitutional Justice. For that, Mahfud answered, “I don’t think so. With the experiences and the study on constitutional law I have, what I need at the moment is the experiences and knowledge from other Constitutional Justices. I will learn from them,” he said.

For Mahfud, to be a Constitution Justice was like a swim trainner. “It is easy to make theories, but to put them into practice is not that easy. To begin swimming should start with the shallow water to the deepest. This is my starting point  to learn,” explained Mahfud.

Then, on the question about what his program would be after being a Constitution Justice. Mahfud said, “A Constitution Justice must not have a program. A Constitution Justice should limit himself to what the constitution and other legislations have said. He should not be more creative than that.”

When asked about independency, because Mahfud MD background was from political parties, he answered, “You make the note, I can be independent or not. Being Independent does not necessarily mean that I make political parties as my enemies. Independent does not necessarily mean that I bow down to NGO’s pressures. Independent does not necessarily mean that I follow the press. Independent lies on what I believe to be the truth. Political Parties should not push me either. I am now free from Political Parties matters.”

For that, Mahfud said that he would not talk about practical politics anymore but to talk about inspirational politics. “It means ideal politics according to the 1945 Constitution, apart from the fact that is whatever political parties do,” he added.

To Roestandi, Mahfud said that he would lear from the impressions of his colleagues toward Constitution Justice Achmad Roestandi and continued the best things he had made. (Wiwik Budi Wasito/Yogi Djatnika)