Students of the State-Teaching Education Faculty (FKIP) of Nusantara Islamic University learning the court proceedings in the Constitutional Court, Monday (4/2) at the hall. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—To learn more about the judicial processes in the Constitutional Court (MK), some 60 students and five lecturers of Pancasila and Civic Education (PPKn) study program, State-Teaching Education Faculty (FKIP) of Nusantara Islamic University (Uninus) visited the Constitutional Court

One of the lecturers said that the lecturers assisted the students who so far only learned about the Constitutional Court in theory in Law and Constitutional Theories classes. They hoped that the students be able to complete their knowledge of the Constitutional Court.

Constitutional Court researcher Ananthia Ayu Devitasari welcomed the students by introducing the history of the Constitutional Court. In the beginning of Indonesian independence, the Supreme Court should have been given the authority to conduct judicial review. However, M. Yamin\'s suggestion was rejected by Soepomo considering that Indonesia uses the power sharing concept in its constitution. Furthermore, Ayu added, in the course of the history of Indonesian state administration, the need for a judicial review mechanism could only be met after the Reform. In the third amendment to the 1945 Constitution, Article 24C was formulated, containing provisions concerning the Constitutional Court.

"The Constitutional Court has the authority to examine laws against the 1945 Constitution, decide upon disputes over the authority of state institutions whose authorities are granted by the 1945 Constitution, decide upon the dissolution of political parties, and decide on disputes over the results of general elections. The Constitutional Court is also obliged to give a decision on the opinion of the House of Representatives if the president/vice president is suspected of violation (impeachment)," Ayu explained in the Delegation Room on Monday afternoon (4/2/2020). 

The Constitutional Court\'s Strength

Ayu then elaborated on the composition of constitutional justices. The nine constitutional justices came from three state powers: the Supreme Court, the House of Representatives, and the President. In exercising its authorities, the Indonesian Constitutional Court allows individual citizens to submit judicial review petitions of laws against the 1945 Constitution. "That is the strength of the Indonesian Constitutional Court. Spain also has a Constitutional Court, but only institutions can petition for cases. The strength of other Indonesian Constitutional Court is that it provides legal standing for the customary law community, [which no other courts in other countries does]. Therefore, in the Indonesian Constitutional Court, it can be seen that there is local wisdom only in Indonesia," Ayu explained. (Sri Pujianti/LA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti