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Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat speaking in a webinar by the Graduate School of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), Saturday (18/7) from the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat spoke at a webinar entitled “Political Law for Economic Development Towards a New Normal” on Saturday morning, July 18, 2020. The webinar was organized by the Graduate School of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) and attended by 200 participants, including UNS rector Jamal Wiwoho, UNS Law Faculty dean I Gusti Ayu Ketut Rachmi Handayani, researchers, state agency officials, lecturers, and students from various universities throughout the country. It was moderated by UNS Law Faculty lecturer Andina Elok Puri Maharani.

Justice Arief said that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our behavior. “Our enemy is invisible, covertly threatening humanity. Indonesian is based on Pancasila, which holds the basic state life values in both normal and extraordinary conditions,” he said. Therefore, Pancasila is used as a foundation for this extraordinary circumstance. He urged participants to submit to God Almighty amidst the pandemic, following the first precept of Pancasila. In accordance with Pancasila, all citizens must be protected by not only the state, but also all the nation’s stakeholders. He also implored participants to unite and strive for collective welfare.

He said that Article 28A paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that the state must protect the people’s right to life and to obtain a healthy life. Meanwhile, Article 34 states that in order to protect those rights, the state and all stakeholders must meet the people’s economic needs in mutual cooperation in order to survive. Article 33 paragraph (4) of the 1945 Constitution states the national economy is organized with solidarity.

He believes that the economic development must prioritize optimum growth and equal distribution, but it is challenging in the current situation. He states that the people must be protected from the outbreak. High infection rate will need a high budget, not only of the state but also families and individuals. Justice Arief believes that the state must apply proportional justice.

UNS Law Faculty professor Pujiyono discussed "The Politics of Economic Law in the New Normal." He believest that the state must guarantee and protect the entire nation. This is used as a basis for determining the direction of the state’s political economy going forward. He revealed that when President Joko Widodo introduced the term ‘new normal,’ people were overjoyed, but this was followed by high numbers of COVID-19 infection. The professor questioned the government’s political direction in facing the pandemic. He believes, though, that positive law must refer to Pancasila. He added that there is a gap between statutory law and the ideal law, which should be bridged.

The director of state-owned PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (PT RNI) J. Nanang Marjianto talked about “SOEs’ responsibility for National Economic Development in New Adaptation Period.” He explained that BUMNs are state-owned enterprises that is mostly owned by the state and are some of the actors in the national economy, thus have very important and strategic roles in the national economy. These SOEs were established to contribute to the development of the national economy. They can handle goods and services for to benefit the public.

Nanang also said that SOEs are aimed at pioneering business activities that sometimes cannot be carried out by the private sector or cooperatives. They also actively provide guidance, assistance, especially to entrepreneurs of economically weak groups, cooperatives, and the community. He also revealed that the pandemic could cause corporate bankruptcy, global economic crisis, increasing poverty, growing unemployment, and widespread layoffs.

The webinar was closed by I Ketut Hadi Priatna, Head of the Legal, Trial, and Public Relations Bureau of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.

Writer: Nano Tresna Arfana
Editor: Nur Rosikin
Translator: Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 7/20/2020 16:11 WIB

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case where any differences occur between the English and the Indonesian version, the Indonesian version will prevail.

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