Deputy Chief Justice Aswanto, YLBHI chairman Muhammad Isnur, acting head of Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Imam Margono at the opening of the technical assistance program on the Constitutional Court’s procedural laws for YLBHI, Tuesday (8/9/2021). Photo by Humas MK/Nur.

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Wednesday, August 10, 2022 | 09:56 WIB

JAKARTA (MKRI)—The Constitutional Court (MK) through its Pancasila and Constitution Education Center (Pusdik) organized a technical assistance program on the Court’s procedural laws for the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and its network organizations virtually.

“I completely understand that those working at legal aid institutions have extraordinary integrity, idealism, and commitment to law enforcement,” said Deputy Chief Justice Aswanto at the opening of the program on Tuesday afternoon, August 9, 2022.

Friends of Court

He said that program had had 33,783 alumni. Four days into the program, the number will grow.

“For [the Court], all alumni of the technical assistance program or the constitution awareness program for citizens are friends of the Court. The Constitutional Court is a house of glass where anything it does is seen and heard from outside,” he said.

He added that the Court had prepared materials for the program that would help the participants litigate in the Constitutional Court and promote discussions between the participants and the speakers.

“For example, to discuss about the fact that most judicial review petitions were not granted. We must discuss how to make them granted,” he said.

Justice Aswanto also mentioned the Court’s role as the guardian of the Constitution, the protector of human rights, and the final interpreter of the Constitution.

He then explained the Court’s authorities: to review laws against the Constitution, to settle authority disputes between state institutions, to decide the dissolution of political parties, and to settle disputes over presidential and legislative election results. He added that it is also obligated to decide the House’s opinion on an alleged violation of law committed by the president and/or vice president. In addition, the Court has an additional authority to settle disputes over regional head election disputes.

Justice Aswanto also reminded the participants to interpret the rule of law wisely. “It is not merely a motto but something that we must implement,” he stressed.

YLBHI’s Spirit 

YLBHI chairman Muhammad Isnur expressed gratitude to the Court for the invitation to the program and to the committee who had prepared it well. He revealed that since inception, YLBHI had always had a fighting spirit to guard the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. He recalled that in 2003, Chief Justice Jimly Ashshidiqqie urged legal aid institutes to file a judicial review petition to the Court.

“[I] hope this program will help the participants learn about the judicial review of laws in the Constitutional Court, become a forum for discussion on the direction of the rule of law and for guarding the Constitution,” he concluded.

Constitutional Court’s Commitment

Acting Head of the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center Imam Margono expressed gratitude for the success of the program. He hoped the participants would stay healthy during the program.

He revealed that the Constitutional Court’s commitment to improve public access to the judiciary had driven it, especially the Pancasila and Constitution Education Center, to hold constitutional awareness programs for citizens and technical assistance programs on procedural law for judicial review.

“[We collaborated with YLBHI] because we believe there is a strong correlation between the Court and YLBHI in supporting YLBHI management and members to improve their understanding of the Court’s procedural laws, especially in judicial review, which will be beneficial for YLBHI in carrying out its duty to help and assist the community to obtain their constitutional rights as guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution,” he explained.

The program will take place on Tuesday-Friday, August 10–13, 2022 at Pancasila and Constitution Education Center, Cisarua, Bogor, West Java virtually with 186 participants, who will receive materials on the Constitutional Court and its procedural laws, constitutional interpretation, and the procedural law for judicial review of laws against the 1945 Constitution.

Writer        : Nano Tresna Arfana
Editor        : Lulu Anjarsari P.
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 8/10/2022 13:57 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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