Head of the Program and Implementation Department of Pusdik Nanang Subekti opening a constitution awareness program for the citizens (PPHKWN), Monday (3/20/2023) at Pusdik. Photo by MKRI/M. Hidayat.
Monday, March 20, 2023 | 19:29 WIB
BOGOR (MKRI) — Fifteen prospective civil servants (CPNS) of the Registrar’s Office and the Secretariat-General of the Constitutional Court (MK) participated in a constitution awareness program for the citizens (PPHKWN) on Monday, March 20, 2023 at the Court’s Pancasila and Constitution Education Center (Pusdik) in Cisarua, Bogor, West Java Province. Head of the Program and Implementation Department of Pusdik Nanang Subekti, who opened the event, said it was part of the Court’s program to raise awareness of the citizens’ constitutional rights and introduce the Constitutional Court and its authority and functions.
He explained that, at the event, the participants would be introduced to developments in constitutional law, constitutional rights, and human rights. He added that CPNS in the Constitutional Court must understand the citizens’ constitutional rights, the procedures to litigate, and how citizens fight for their rights in the Court.
The Constitutional Court’s authority is regulated in the Constitution, but it has not exercised its authority to disband political parties and to impeach the president.
Nanang added that aside from PPHKWN to community groups, the Court also holds constitution debate competitions for university students and hand out constitution awards for PPKn (Pancasila and Civic Education) teachers.
Ardiansyah Salim, Pusdik’s Head of Program and Evaluation Division, said the Court’s employees must provide excellent services to all litigating parties.
Also read: Orientation Week for Court’s Prospective Civil Servants
Constitutional Amendment
In the first session, substitute registrar Hani Adhani, who talked about “The Constitution and constitutionalism,” introduced the principles of the Constitution and constitutionalism to the participants.
The Constitution, he said, is all regulations on the administration that serves as the framework of the state and the supreme law of the land. Meanwhile, constitutionalism is the limitation of power and the guarantee of citizens’ rights through the Constitution. He then went on to explain the history of the Constitution, especially since the 1998 Reform. The 1945 Constitution, he said, had been used by the New Order to prolong the regime.
The Reform movement, which demanded the amendment to the 1945 Constitution, also led to the formation of the Constitutional Court. An agreement on the amendment was made, Hani explained, which includes not amending the Preamble, maintaining the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), maintaining the presidential system, and moving normative elucidation to the body of the Constitution. All the amendment was done in stages.
Hani further explained that the amendment led to the return of the sovereignty to the people, which is implemented according to the Constitution. The idea to establish the Constitutional Court emerged during the third stage of the amendment. Constitutional amendment, Hani argued, is not something new. First President Sukarno had established the Constitutional Assembly, which was supposed to amend the 1945 Constitution. However, it failed to do so until the President disbanded it.
Constitutional amendment, Hani explained, have consequences on the administration system. It eliminated the label of highest state institutions, compelled the establishment of the Constitutional Court, whose authority includes reviewing laws against the 1945 Constitution, settling authority disputes between state institutions whose authorities are granted by the 1945 Constitution, deciding the dissolution of political parties, and settling disputes over general election results. It is also obligated to decide the House’s opinion on an alleged violation of law committed by the president and/or vice president, pursuant to Article 24C paragraphs (1) and (2) of the 1945 Constitution. In addition, it has an additional authority to settle regional election results disputes.
In the second session, expert assistant to constitutional justice Bisariyadi talked about “The Guarantee of Constitutional Rights,” which he said was important to CPNS. He equated it with street knowledge for the CPNS who graduated from the State College of Accountancy (STAN).
In the third session, substitute registrar Mardian Wibowo talked about “The Constitutional Court’s Landmark Decisions.”
Author : Ilham W. M.
Editor : Nur R.
Translator : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)
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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