Law students of Gorontalo State University visiting the Constitutional Court, Monday (8/4) in the Delegation Room of the Constitutional Court, Monday (8/4). Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Constitutional Court welcomed 209 Law Faculty students of Gorontalo State University on Monday afternoon (8/4). Court researcher Abdul Ghoffar welcomed them in the Delegation Room of the Constitutional Court. Ghoffar explained the authorities of the Court, including that in relation to impeachment of the president.

"Before 2001, our presidents always fell through a political mechanism. [President Soekarno] fell because his accountability was not accepted. It has never been proven whether he had committed a crime; not legally. He fell because of politics. So did [President Soeharto], as he has never been proven legally to have committed corruption. [President Soeharto] fell because of politics. [Presidents Habibie] and Gus Dur also fell because of politics," he explained.

However, Ghoffar said, the formation of the Constitutional Court in Indonesia gave rise to a mechanism to overthrow the president through legal channels. Among the obligation of the Constitutional Court is to decide on the opinion of the House of Representatives (DPR) on the allegation of president and/or vice-president violating the law and committing disgraceful acts.

"After the amendments to the 1945 Constitution and the establishment of the Constitutional Court in Indonesia, we feel relieved. In the history of Indonesia, no president has ever been impeached. We should be grateful for that, because an unconstitutional impeachment of the president in any country will create collateral damage," Ghoffar said.

In addition to having an obligation, the Constitutional Court, which was established on August 13, has the main authority to review laws against the Constitution. "So if there are laws whose contents contradict the Constitution, the aggrieved party can review it to the Constitutional Court," said Ghoffar. Ghoffar said, laws are regulations made by the President and the House of Representatives, who has around 560 members. Even so, if it turns out that any law has harmed fundamental rights or human rights, it can be revoked.

Ghoffar also explained another authority of the Constitutional Court: deciding on the authority dispute of state institutions, whose authority is granted by the Constitution. In addition, the Constitutional Court has the authority to decide on the dissolution of political parties if they violate the state\'s ideology. The Government must not immediately dissolve political parties unlike in the time of President Soekarno. The Government may only petition for the dissolution of political parties. The other authority is to decide election results. (Nano Tresna Arfana/LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)