Chief Justice Anwar Usman giving his remarks at the Constitutional Court’s Christmas and New Year celebration, Thursday (1/12/2023). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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Thursday, January 12, 2023 | 15:33 WIB

JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Christmas and New Year celebration of the Constitutional Court (MK) went smoothly and genially on Thursday afternoon, January 12, 2023 at the Court’s Delegation Room. Christian staff members, acting Secretary-General Heru Setiawan, Chief Justice Anwar Usman, and Constitutional Justices Arief Hidayat, Manahan M. P. Sitompul, Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh, Wahiduddin Adams, Saldi Isra, Suhartoyo, Enny Nurbaningsih, and M. Guntur Hamzah were in attendance. Former Constitutional Justice Maria Farida Indrati (2008-2018), former Chief Registrar Kasianur Sidauruk, and Gregorius Seto Hariyanto of the Constitution Forum also attended the event.

“On this occasion, allow me to wish my Christian brothers and sisters at the Constitutional Court a merry Christmas and a happy New Year of 2023. I hope this celebration of Christmas of 2022 will bring peace to all, not only to Christians who celebrate it, but also to the Indonesian nation. Likewise, I hope this new year of 2023 will be better and more successful than the previous year,” said Chief Justice Anwar Usman when delivering his remarks.

He urged all Christians in the Constitutional Court to keep spreading kindness to others not only Christmas, but throughout the year, all the time. Kindness that is broad, boundless, without seeing differences as things that cause friction, but as a destiny, mercy, and grace of God Almighty.

“By having a basis for the common good, we will be able to uphold law and justice, guard democracy and the Constitution in a nation that is united in diversity,” he explained.

The chief justice further explained that the positive spirit of Christmas must be cared for and preserve together. We should be grateful that God Almighty has bestowed so many blessings, including harmony and inter-religious relations within the Constitutional Court. He also encouraged the Court’s staff members to work in a warm, collaborative, cooperative, and supportive atmosphere.

“Looking back at the nation’s struggle, we will find how Indonesia’s diversity were fought for so hard by the founding fathers. The diversity on this motherland are indeed His gifts and extraordinary challenges,” he said.

Chief Justice Anwar Usman said creating harmony and unity amid diversity is not easy. Even so, our predecessors’ efforts have left behind a social system where diversity is a blessing. We are then determined to encourage love, humanity, and peace, so that these differences become a blessing for the universe. Hopefully, this also reflects the spirit of Christmas celebrations, to continue to spread love to others regardless of background. 

Strengthening Religious Harmony

This year’s Christmas theme “Departing into Their Own Country Another Way” was a good reminder of the efforts to strengthen national and state harmony, as well as to face the challenges of the ever-changing times. Christians would look at this theme from a historical perspective: King Herod wanted to kill Jesus in order to maintain his power, so he sent wise men to find baby Jesus and bring him. However, the wise men instead took another way home in order to save themselves and Jesus to avoid the king’s cruelty.

Chief Justice Anwar explained that the story was similar to that of baby Moses when the pharaoh was in power, where male infanticide served for maintaining the pharaoh’s power. However, baby Moses was rescued by the pharaoh’s wife and brought up in the palace.

Those stories, he said, should encourage us to always follow His commands and always strive to do good.

Join Hands

Chief Justice Anwar Usman added that the COVID-19 pandemic can also be interpreted as an inevitable fate by God, but one that must not be accepted without any efforts. He encouraged everyone to continue finding solutions and join hands in facing fate to mankind. He also encouraged gratitude that Indonesia fared better than a lot of other countries amid the pandemic and its economy remained relatively stable.

He then encouraged the Court’s staff members to continue their commitment to guard the citizens’ constitutional rights and carry out the state’s mandate.

Fostering Solidarity

The chief justice also said that the Christmas celebration could be a step to fostering solidarity for the sake of a more prosperous, safe, comfortable, and peaceful workplace. He encouraged everyone to carry out His commands and leave all the things He prohibits, to live for a just and civilized humanity. He also encouraged every staff member to make the Court not only an institution that upholds law and justice, but also upholds universal values of compassion and humanity, for the sake of national unity and integrity.

Chief Justice Anwar Usman and Constitutional Justice Manahan M. P. Sitompul also handed gifts over to the caretakers of the Kasih Sayang nursing home, while Constitutional Justices Arief Hidayat and Daniel Yusmic Pancastaki Foekh handed gifts over to the Felicia Angel Kids foundation (Holy Angel orphanage). 

Writer        : Utami Argawati
Editor        : Nur R.
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 1/16/2023 10:58 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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