Chief Justice Anwar Usman giving a keynote speech and opening the technical assistance program on procedural law of judicial review for the Indonesian Legislative Drafters Association (IP3I) virtually, Tuesday (11/9/2021). Photo by Humas MK/Budiman.

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Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 08:40 WIB

JAKARTA, Public Relations—The Indonesian Legislative Drafters Association (IP3I) attended a technical assistance program (bimtek) on procedural law of judicial review organized by the Constitutional Court (MK) in collaboration with IP3I virtually on November 9-12, 2021.

“The amendment to the 1945 Constitution was significant in terms of quantity and substance. Observing the changes, there is one important material: human rights in Chapter XA,” said Chief Justice Anwar Usman in his speech when opening the bimtek on Tuesday evening, November 9, 2021.

Although human rights are not only stipulated in Chapter XA of the 1945 Constitution, its regulation in legislation indicates the state’s commitment to protecting the citizens’ constitutional rights.

“In line with that, the establishment of the Constitutional Court [as stipulated] in the amendment to the 1945 Constitution was also aimed at safeguarding the guarantee of the citizens’ constitutional rights. In this context, the Court is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the citizens’ constitutional rights through the formation of laws as outlined in the 1945 Constitution,” he said before 400 participants of the bimtek.

Laws are political products by the legislative and executive branches, Justice Anwar added. Their power are legitimized through the democratic mechanism of elections, which produce majority votes, leading to seating power in the parliament and as a president.

Understanding Constitutional Court Comprehensively

Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Imam Margono expressed his gratitude to the chief justice, who gave a keynote speech at the opening of the bimtek despite his busy schedule, and to the participants, who gathered at the event virtually amid the pandemic.

He said that the bimtek, which would last four days, is aimed at helping legal drafters understanding the Constitutional Court more comprehensively. This includes being aware of the conveniences and innovations in information technology that the Court has developed to facilitate justice seekers and friends of the Court in filing petitions and finding information about the Court’s decisions and the progress of the cases that the Court is handling.

National Ideals

IP3I Chairman Rudy Hendra Pakpahan said the judicial power in Indonesia is exercised by the Supreme Court (MA) and the Constitutional Court (MK). One of the Supreme Court’s authorities is reviewing regulations under laws, while the Constitutional Court review laws against the Constitution aside from exercising other authorities.

“As we know, the 1945 Constitution firmly states that Indonesia is a law-based state based on Pancasila as the source of all sources of law and the Constitution,” he said.

Constitutionally, the implementation of the law-based state is aimed at realizing the nation and state’s goals, Rudy added. These goals are contained in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution: protecting all Indonesian people and the entire land of Indonesia, developing the welfare of the people and the life of the nation, and participating in the world orderliness based on freedom, eternal peace, and social justice.

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

Translation uploaded on 11/12/2021 11:54 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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