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Deputy Chief Justice Aswanto closing the socialization of socialization of the MPR’s four pillars virtually, Thursday (19/11/2020) from Jakarta. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—Deputy Chief Justice Aswanto officially closed the socialization of the four pillars of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and a constitutional awareness program for members of the Nahdatul Ulama (NU), Aisyiah, and the Islamic Women’s Union (WSI) on Thursday, November 19, 2020. The virtual event was organized by the Constitutional Court's Pancasila and Constitution Education Center (Cisarua, Bogor) and the MPR.

In his remarks, Justice Aswanto said that the Constitution guarantees the citizens’ rights. He said that human rights are freedom that are limited. “We of course hope that what constitutes citizens’ rights are in line with what are guaranteed by the Constitution, and they must be implemented. Constitutional rights are essentially human rights,” he said.

He said the earliest form of Indonesia’s Constitution hadn’t completely guaranteed human rights, especially women’s rights. The Constitution of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia (RIS) added some norms, but wasn’t optimal in this regard, leading to the formation of the Provisional Constitution (UUDS) of 1950. After the 1945 Constitution was amended, human rights were guaranteed more comprehensively.

Justice Aswanto added that the Constitutional Court was established to guarantee the constitutional rights of citizens that are harmed. “The Constitutional Court will act whenever any law negates the constitutional rights of citizens, which are guaranteed in the Constitution. So, anyone who feels that their constitutional rights are harmed by the enactment of laws can file a judicial review petition to the Constitutional Court,” he explained. He also urged the participants to encourage Islamic women’s organizations to fulfill their responsibilities.

Also read: Constitutional Court Guarantees Citizens’ Constitutional Rights

Collaboration of MPR and MK

Acting Head of the Constitutional Court's Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Imam Margono said the MPR is the representation of all Indonesians and their sovereignty, implemented through the DPR (House of Representatives) and the DPD (Regional Representatives Council). The MPR has a program aimed at improving civic awareness and the values of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution among the people and civil society organizations.

This socialization of the four pillars is the MPR’s effort to educate people about the values of Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity), and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Based on this common mission, the MPR and the Constitutional Court collaborate through the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center to improve people’s awareness of Pancasila and their constitutional rights. The socialization of the four pillars and constitutional awareness program for members of Islamic women’s organizations is a concrete manifestation of both agencies’ efforts to enforce the values of Pancasila and the Constitution.

Also read: Pancasila, Foundation to Four Pillars in Citizenship

Constitutional Court Procedural Law

On the same day, senior researcher Pan Mohamad Faiz talked about the procedural law of the Constitutional Court. He said that the constitution in a narrow sense is the constitution document, while in a broad sense it is civic values. The Constitution is important as a basic convention to which all statutory laws refer.

“This means that in the nation and state life there cannot be any action, regulation, or even law, which are drafted by the legislative and executive branches, that violates the 1945 Constitution. The Constitution s the highest law in any state,” he said.

He added that the Constitutional Court was established based on the amendment to the 1945 Constitution. It was founded in 2003 with the authorities to examine laws against the 1945 Constitution, decide on authority disputes between state institutions whose authorities are granted by the 1945 Constitution, decide on the dissolution of political parties, and decide on disputes over general election results. The Court is also obligated to decide on the House’s opinion on an alleged violation of law committed by the president and/or vice president (impeachment).

Writer: Utami Argawati
Editor: Lulu Anjarsari
Translator: Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 11/23/2020 21:36 WIB

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

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