Chief Justice Anwar Usman signing the inscription of Mekar Sari Village as a constitution village, Sunday (11/13/2022) in the hall of Mekar Sari Village, Sungai Raya, Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan. Photo by MKRI/Zahra.
Monday, November 21, 2022 | 12:03 WIB
JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) inaugurated Mekar Sari Village as a constitution village on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at the hall of Mekar Sari Village, Sungai Raya Subdistrict, Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan Province. The event was the Court’s effort to create role models for enforcing the Constitution.
Chief Justice Anwar Usman said in his keynote speech that the 1945 Constitution is a reflection of national wisdom that is set forth as the basic law of the country. Values of the Constitution and state ideology Pancasila reflect the ancestors’ wisdom that was written down as the basic law, so both can be said to be the identity of the nation, which has existed for a long time.
“The Constitution as the supreme law of the land must be understood, interpreted, and implemented by all elements of the nation. Without understanding, interpreting, and implementing it, it is impossible for the nation and state to achieve its goals. [That is] because the ideals of the state are enshrined in the Constitution. It can be likened to a blueprint of the nation and guidance for all citizens on the direction of the country,” he explained.
Village of Peace
Chief Justice Anwar believed the inauguration of Mekar Sari as a constitution village to be part of the Constitutional Court’s appreciation and endeavor to create a role model from the smallest level in the government structure for upholding the Constitution and the state ideology. Local wisdom and the implementation of constitutional values actually begin and exist in the daily social life. Therefore, in order to keep these values alive in society, it is important for us to keep practicing them every day.
“If you examine its history, it is only natural that this village in Kubu Raya Regency become a role model for implementing constitutional values. Long before Indonesia’s independence, the Kingdom of Kubu and the sultanate in Pontianak already had an advanced civilization with high cultural values. In fact, the relations of the Kingdom of Kubu and the British Empire and various overseas monarchies were built and formed since the 17th century. This indicates that values and wisdom of the Kingdom of Kubu and the sultanate in Pontianak also contributed to the cultural values and national dignity of Indonesia,” he said.
He emphasized that the residents of Mekar Sari Village, who are of diverse ethnicities and feel the same fate and responsibility, are brought together by the same ideals: peace and tranquility, becoming an entity capable of accelerating reconciliation after social conflicts. It has been proven that the residents of Mekar Sari Village can coexist peacefully and maintain tolerance on the basis of a shared desire to move forward, build, and develop a better and dignified village life.
“At the 2022 Constitution and Anti-Corruption Festival, the Constitutional Court awarded a constitution award to Singkawang City as a constitution city for the high tolerance among its citizens, in line with that, referring to the history of Mekar Sari Village, we should call it a village of peace,” he said.
Village Regulation on Marriage
Mekar Sari village chief Mahmudi said in his speech that it was not easy to become a constitution village. There were several values that the village and the University of Tanjungpura needed to discuss.
In Sungai Raya Subdistrict of Kubu Raya Regency, he added, all villages have used the cash management system (CMS) in non-cash village financial system transactions directly to the respective villages and then managed by village officials—village secretary and treasurer.
“This is a foundation to prevent the misuse of village funds. This is also an implication of the basic rights of Mekar Sari residents to (prevent) misappropriation of village funds. This relates to the Constitutional Court and basic rights, including all the basic rights of the people in Kubu Raya,” he said.
Mahmudi explained that one of the considerations for Mekar Sari Village to become a constitution village was because it has a village regulation (perdes) on early marriage. In the village, marriage is prohibited before the age of 17. This is the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s decision and the desire of Mekar Sari villagers. The village is the first in Indonesia to issue such a regulation before the Marriage Law set the minimum marriageable age at 19.
“This is not only our pride as the Mekar Sari government, but this also reflects our pride and gratitude for the Constitutional Court for confirming Mekar Sari Village as a constitution village. This does not only affect Mekar Sari Village but also the entire Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan Province,” he said.
He hoped that this activity would not only be ceremonial but also shows that the values of Pancasila and the Constitution need to be encouraged and made known to the public. He said were still many residents who asked what a constitution village was.
Reason for Selection
Meanwhile, rector of University of Tanjungpura (Untan) Garuda Wiko explained in his speech that the inauguration of Mekar Sari as a constitution village was one of the concrete manifestations of upholding the Constitution. Untan was grateful for being involved through the Law Faculty to endorse the village after studies and discussions since a year ago.
Wiko explained that one of the considerations for endorsing Mekar Sari Village was its vision of fostering the village to create a just, prosperous, and dignified village based on faith and piety. This vision showed a very strong logical element in describing constitutional life in the village. Several of its regulations are relevant to the Constitutional Court’s decisions, including that on the minimum marriageable age. The inauguration of Mekar Sari as a constitution village was also thanks to discussions with the governor of West Kalimantan and the regent of Kubu Raya.
“Hopefully Mekar Sari Village can become a reflection of the Constitution in every movement of the residents for a just, prosperous, and dignified community based on faith and piety and it can become a model for implementing the noble values of Pancasila as a guideline for daily life to ensure that social capital and the spirit of tolerance, cooperation, and gotong royong that has thrived in the village are maintained,” he hoped.
Next, Kubu Raya regent Muda Mahendrawan explained that this confirmation as a constitution village would certainly have an impact on the community. This is a mandate from the Constitutional Court to Kubu Raya Regency so that it improves its village governance through non-cash management of village funds, which it has implemented since 2020.
“So, there is no cash [village funds] because it will prevent and minimize opportunities for misuse. Kubu Raya is a pioneer in Indonesia in managing non-cash village funds. We are taking this step to protect the rights of the villagers,” he explained.
Writer : Utami Argawati
Editor : Nur R.
Translator : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)
Translation uploaded on 11/21/2022 15:18 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.
Monday, November 14, 2022 | 12:03 WIB 139