Head of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Kurniasih Panti Rahayu closing the Program to Improve Understanding of Constitutional Rights of Citizens for Indonesian Journalists on Thursday (25/4/2019) at the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center, Cisarua, Bogor. Photo by Humas MK/Lulu Anjarsari.

CISARUA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The press is the fourth pillar of democracy after the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This is because the press is the balancing force of the three domains of power and the channel for the people to voice their aspirations. This was conveyed by Head of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Kurniasih Panti Rahayu in the closing ceremony of the Program to Improve Understanding of Constitutional Rights of Citizens for Indonesian Journalists on Thursday (25/4/2019) at the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center, Cisarua, Bogor.

Through the program, she said, the Court hopes to improve the understanding of journalists, who are one of the nation’s social assets to create constructive, innovative state and nation. “Hopefully journalists are able to frame positive rather than negative opinions, to not spread unverified news or rumors, and to write quality news that are accountable to the public and the Almighty God,” said Kurniasih before 118 participants. She also hopes that journalists will equip themselves with a paradigm based on Pancasila values and the 1945 Constitution so that when carrying out their duties, journalists are able to sort negative, divisive things and disseminate information on the Constitutional Court and its authorities. 

Constitution and Constitutionalism 

On the third day, Padjajaran University law professor Susi Dwi Harijanti spoke about “Constitution and Constitutionalism.” She explained the background of the amendments to the 1945 Constitution in 1999-2002. One is because it granted overt authority to the president, who also received mandate from the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR). “In addition, at the time checks and balances mechanism was not optimal. Many provisions in the Constitution had also been multi-interpretive, delegating lawmaking without clear direction,” she said before around 130 journalists from all over Indonesia. Susi also appealed to the press to disseminate legal culture to society, which she thinks is an important part of the Constitution and constitutionalism.

Relation between Constitutional Court and the Press 

Head of the Public Relations and Domestic Cooperation Department Fajar Laksono spoke about  “State Administration System According to the 1945 Constitution and the Constitutional Court in the State Administration System of the Republic of Indonesia.” He first clarified the relation between the Constitutional Court and the press. The judicial classic prescribes that the judiciary shall not be too open to the press, while another principle prescribes the opposite. However, he said that the Court provides all information in its website, which the public might not know about or understand, hence the need for the press.

He also mentioned the 2019 Concurrent Elections as a result of the Constitutional Court Decision No. 14/PUU-XI/2013. He said of Chief Justice’s regret of the issues emerging in the 2019 Concurrent Elections, which is the implementation of said decision, are not an issue of the decision itself but an issue of the implementation of the decision. “It is not at all because of the norm or the decision, but of the implementation in the field,” he said.

Hasanuddin University law professor Judhariksawan spoke about “Guarantee of Constitutional Rights of Citizens in the 1945 Constitution,” while Substitute Registrar of the Constitutional Court Achmad Edy Subiyanto spoke about “The Procedural Law Mechanism, Stages, and Schedule of the 2019 Elections Results Dispute Resolution.” The Press Council also spoke about news violations during the 2019 Concurrent Elections.

A day prior on Tuesday (23/4/2019), the participants listened to a presentation on the improvement of national insight, and re-actualization and implementation of Pancasila values through experiential learning. In the four-day event, the participants met with members of the community and socialized the values of Pancasila by making videos under certain themes and gathering the community to socialize Pancasila values. (Lulu/Panji/Yuniar Widiastuti)