Secretary General M. Guntur Hamzah speaking in a seminar on the national legal development organized by the National Law Development Agency (BPHN) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Thursday (26/10) at Bidakara Hotel, Jakarta. Photo by Humas MK/Bayu.

The Constitutional Court (MK) participates in overcoming and minimizing national issues. This was conveyed by Secretary General M. Guntur Hamzah in a seminar on the national legal development organized by the National Law Development Agency (BPHN) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. The program was collaboration with the Presidential Working Unit on Pancasila Ideological Training (UKP-PIP) on “The Revitalization of Pancasila in Regulation Arrangement to Build the National Legal System,” at Bidakara Hotel, Jakarta on Thursday (26/10/2017).

In his presentation, Guntur explained the Constitutional Court’s function as guardian of the Constitution and guardian of state ideology. He also detailed four authorities and one obligation of the Court granted by the 1945 Constitution. The authorities are the judicial review of laws against the 1945 Constitution, the resolution of interagency authority dispute, the resolution of legislative and presidential election result dispute, and the dissolution of political parties. One obligation granted to the Court is deciding on the House’s opinion of alleged violation committed by the president and/or vice president (impeachment).

Guntur then elaborated on the state institutions mentioned in the Constitution and highlighted the need for awareness of the position of the Constitutional Court in the constitutional constellation. The Constitutional Court makes up the judiciary along with the Supreme Court.

Guntur also elaborated on the statistics of the cases that the Court has handled. The Court has decided on 2,694 cases in its 14^th year. The Court has consistently performed to its best abilities, by deciding on 10 cases per month. At the end of the seminar, Guntur explained that there is a positive trend in the Constitutional Court in relation to judicial review. Many articles in various laws were annulled by the Court and be declared unconstitutional. (Bayu Wicaksono/LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)