Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo and law lecturer Ardilafiza of the University of Bengkulu at a national seminar, Friday (5/5/2023) at the University of Bengkulu. Photo by Humas MK/Hamdi.

---

BENGKULU (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court’s (MK) plays an important role as a representation of democracy, said Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo at a national seminar on “The New Direction of the Enforcement of the Constitution and Democracy amid Global Instability” on Friday, May 5, 2023 at the International Room I of the Law Faculty of the University of Bengkulu. The seminar, held in collaboration between the Law Faculty of the University of Bengkulu and the Court, Justice Suhartoyo delivered a presentation on “Constitutionalism and Democracy.”

“The Constitutional Court substantive role is to represent real democracy as the content of democracy is protection of human rights and the limitation of state power. Therefore, the state cannot act arbitrarily,” he said before the attendants and Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah and law lecturer Ardilafiza of the University of Bengkulu.

Justice Suhartoyo also talked about the Court’s role in enforcing democracy as stated in Decision No. 85/PUU-XX/2022, in which it ruled that the Court has the permanent authority to decide regional election results disputes.

“In Law No. 10 of 2016, the Court’s authority to resolve regional election results disputes used to be until a special judicial body to resolve election disputes be established. From 2016 to 2022, lawmakers did not show any sign of establishing the special body. Not to mention a regional election is coming soon. Therefore, the Court ruled this authority permanent,” he explained.

Constitutional Court’s Important Role

Meanwhile, in his opening remarks, Governor Rohidin Mersyah said talked about the enforcement and protection of human rights during this time of instability. In order to maintain stability, the enforcement of the Constitution is imperative, he said.

The Constitutional Court is needed amid static legal developments, he said, because it would help keep legal products in harmony, coherent, and in line with the 1945 Constitution. “Do not let it violates the spirit of the 1945 Constitution. That’s why I think the Constitutional Court’s duty is important,” he said before the university’s rector Retno Agustina Ekaputri.

Author       : Hendy P.
Editor        : Lulu Anjarsari P.
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 version, the Indonesian version will prevail.

---