The Constitutional Court (MK) hosted a visit from students of the University of Bengkulu, on Monday (11/10) at the Hall of the Constitutional Court. The students were welcomed by Abdul Ghofar, MK researcher who became speaker of the visit.

In his opening speech, Abdul Ghofar described the authority and obligation of the Court as judicial institutions in Indonesia. The authorities of the Constitutional Court are deciding a judicial review on the laws against the Constitution 1945, deciding disputes amongst state agency, dissolution of political parties, and deciding disputes of the elections result, both presidential elections and the election of members of the DPR, DPD and DPRD.

Moreover, as the guardian of democracy in Indonesia, the Court also has an obligation to be performed. The obligation of the Court is to decide the House’s proposal related to alleged offenses committed by the president and vice president.

Furthermore, Ghofar also said, after going through several times of amendment, Indonesia has no highest state institution. All state agencies are aligned in position. The only differences exist due to their duties and functions. Likewise, Constitutional Justices’ candidacy, nine Constitutional Justices are selected from three state agencies, the Parliament, the Supreme Court (MA), and the executive branch president. This is occurred to ensure checks and balances mechanism between state institutions.

"Moreover, the duties of the Constitutional Court are different to Supreme Court, whose decision is final and binding. When the hammer being pounded, the decision is directly applicable and if the verdict wasn’t complied, the sanction will be dropped to whom the verdict is objecting, "said Ghofar. (Panji Erawan/ mh/kun)