Constitutional Court researcher Abdul Ghofar welcoming Semarang State University (Unnes) students, Monday (19/8) at the Delegation Room. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Constitutional Court (MK) welcomed 30 students of the Semarang State University (Unnes) on Monday (19/8/2019). They would like to learn about the Constitutional Court and constitutional issues. They visited the Court for KKL program. They also planned on visiting other state institutions in Jakarta.

Constitutional Court researcher Abdul Ghofar welcomed the students at the Delegation Room on the fourth floor. Ghofar started his presentation by explaining the functions of the Court: guardian of the Constitution, final interpreter of the Constitution, protector of citizen’s constitutional right, and protector of human rights, and guardian of democracy.

Before the Constitutional Court was established, said Ghofar, the president was the interpreter of the constitutionality of the law. The authority of the president was very vast. At that time, bills were proposed by the president and then submitted to the Parliament for approval. If a law has been approved, there is no chance to annul it.

"When the Court was established, the conditions were different because the Constitutional Court can annul a law if it is deemed contrary to the 1945 Constitution," he stressed. The establishment of the Constitutional Court, he said, was the effect of the Reform where state institutions have checks and balances. In addition, the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) as the country\\\'s highest institution was abolished.

He also touched on the issue of limited amendments to the 1945 Constitution. The State Policy Guidelines (GBHN) will be revived. According to Ghofar, this would create opposition for the president because in the current presidential system, the direction of the country is based on the vision and mission of the president, formulated by the president. "However, if the GBHN is revived, the president will refer to the GBHN because it carries out the mandate of the MPR," he stressed. (Arif Satriantoro/NRA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti