Chief Justice Anwar Usman with Chairman of IKA FH Undip Ahmad Redi and Acting Head of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Imam Margono at the technical assistance program for IKA FH Undip, Tuesday (10/12/2021). Photo by Humas MK/Teguh.

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Tuesday, October 12, 2021 | 21:15 WIB

BOGOR, Public Relations—Chief Justice Anwar Usman officially opened the technical assistance program (bimtek) on the Constitutional Court’s (MK) procedural law for judicial review by the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center for the Alumni Association of the Law Faculty of Diponegoro University (IKA FH Undip) on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. Chairman of IKA FH Undip Ahmad Redi and Acting Head of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Imam Margono.

Justice Anwar said the 1945 Constitution, which has been amended several times, guarantees the citizens’ constitutional rights, which develop according to the needs of the community. Throughout the founding of Indonesia since independence, the 1945 Constitution has experienced ups and downs. Starting from the formation of the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Works for Independence (BPUPKI) and the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) to the Reform movement on May 21, 1998, the 1945 Constitution’s sacredness came to an end. The demands for democracy were getting stronger and as the government changed, the 1945 Constitution underwent gradual changes.

“The 1945 Constitution was added with new norms, which also changed the structure of the state institutions, such as the abolition of the Supreme Advisory Council and the establishment of the Judicial Commission, Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and Constitutional Court. After the changes, the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) is no longer the highest state institution, and state institutions became equal,” Justice Anwar said before 418 participants of the bimtek, who are advocates, staff of state and regional agencies, entrepreneurs, CSOs, and student activists within IKA FH Undip.

He added these changes affected the balance between the branches of state power, with a focus on the Constitution. The judiciary now supervises the products produced by the executive and legislative branches.

He also said that democracy no longer only concerns the legitimacy of general elections but also the balance between democracy and the implementation of constitutional norms. This is in line with the Constitutional Court’s authorities granted by the 1945 Constitution: to examine laws against the 1945 Constitution, to decide on authority disputes between state institutions, to decide the dissolution of political parties, and to decide on disputes over the results of general elections.

Constitutional Awareness

Meanwhile, Chairman of IKA FH Undip Ahmad Redi said in his speech that after this collaboration, hopefully the participants, who are of various professional backgrounds, can improve their knowledge of the Court’s procedural law for judicial review and their experience.

“Hopefully through this bimtek the participants not only receive training on the Court’s procedural law to litigate in the Court, but also be able to raise awareness of the Constitution and the Court’s procedural law to all elements of society, including IKA FH Undip,” he said.

The bimtek will be taking place for four days, Tuesday-Friday, October 12-15, 2021. Experts will give presentations—Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat on “The Constitutional Court and the Characteristic of Its Procedural Law,” former Constitutional Justice (2003-2008, 2015-2020) I Dewa Gede Palguna on “Constitutional Interpretation,” and Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra on “The Procedural Law of Judicial Review of Laws Against the 1945 Constitution.” The participants will also practice drafting a judicial review petition both individually and in groups, with the assistance of researchers and deputy registrars.

Writer        : Sri Pujianti
Editor        : Lulu Anjarsari P.
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 10/13/2021 11:53 WIB

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

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