---

Photo with Secretary General of the Constitutional Court M. Guntur Hamzah and 2018 ICCIS participants at Ratu Boko Temple, Yogyakarta (4/10). Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

The 2018 ICCIS was closed with Farewell Dinner of the International Symposium and Short Course of 2018 ICCIS at Ratu Boko Temple, Yogyakarta (4/10). The Secretary General of the Constitutional Court M. Guntur Hamzah, who closed the event, confirmed that although the International Symposium program had ended, the participants were expected to continue to communicate and share relevant information. "Use this International Symposium to expand cross-country networks," he said.

The event was a manifestation of the commitment of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia to continue developing judicial dialogue and scientific and legal discourse, both between the Indonesian Constitutional Court and the constitutional courts of other countries as well as between the Indonesian Constitutional Court and academia and researchers from all over the world.

He explained that as the Secretariat for Planning and Coordination of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC), the Indonesian Constitutional Court will also continue fostering good relations and communication among the 16 (sixteen) member countries in Asia. This responsibility also lies with the Indonesian Constitutional Court, because it is currently the only Asian member of the Bureau of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice (WCCJ) of the Venice Commission based in Venice, Italy.

2018 ICCIS participant from the Thai Constitutional Court Pitaksin Sivaroot appreciated the event. He was impressed by the event and saw it as a new experience as he could discuss the constitutions in all 2018 ICCIS participating countries.

Short Course and Call for Papers Officially Closed

Previously, on Tuesday and Wednesday (2-3/10), the Constitutional Court held a Short Course and Call for Papers, part of the series of events from the 2nd Indonesian Constitutional Court International Symposium 2018 (2018 ICCIS) that presented Former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of the 2013-2015 Period Hamdan Zoelva. The events, which lasted for two days, were closed by Head of the Center for Research and Case Studies of the Constitutional Court, Wiryanto.

Wiryanto believed that this international event would further bring insights and increase knowledge for all participants. In addition, he also hoped that the participants maintain mutual relations and communication in the future, especially with researchers at the Indonesian Constitutional Court.

During the short course, Hamdan Zoelva discussed Constitutionalism at the Cross Road of Law, Politics and Society. The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of the 2013-2015 period explained that modern democracy was born as a result of despotic government by kings who had absolute power in determining all state laws and policies without involving the people. The people became objects and did not have the right to determine the course of government and the state.

Democracy, Hamdan added, is a rule by majority and gives freedom to regulate in the name of the majority. Meanwhile, the constitution limits freedom, because of that the principle of constitutional democracy was born--democracy that is limited by the constitution to keep it from becoming tyranny by the majority.

On the other hand, to avoid the emergence of laws and constitutions that violate democratic principles, law formation process, constitutions, and all state policies must pay attention to the guarantee of rights of human freedom, and they must be formed through a transparent process, by listening to the opinions of the people, consulting with the people, allowing it to be supervised and controlled by the people, and the court is authorized to revoke laws and regulations that are contrary to democratic principles. With reciprocal and complementary relations between the constitution and democracy, all government policies and actions receive legitimacy, of both the constitution and the people. (Bayu/LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)

---