A judicial review hearing on Law No. 24 of 2009 on the National Flag, Language, Emblem, and Anthem (BBLNLK Law), Tuesday (9/12/2023). Photo by MKRI/Fauzan.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court held another judicial review hearing of Law No. 24 of 2009 on the National Flag, Language, Emblem, and Anthem (BBLNLK Law) on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. The second hearing to examine the revisions to the petition was held in the plenary courtroom and presided over by Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh (panel chair), Wahiduddin Adams, and Enny Nurbaningsih.

The Petitioner for case No. 86/PUU-XXI/2023 explained the revisions to the petition’s posita. “Next, in the petitum, the Petitioner requests the Court to grant the petition,” he said.

At the end of the hearing, the panel also verified and validated exhibits P1 to P16. The panel will bring the case to a justice deliberation meeting to determine its continuation.

Also read: Health Office Retiree Questions Concrete Form of Indonesian Script

At the preliminary hearing on Wednesday, August 30, a Health Office retiree of Situbondo Regency, East Java Province by the name of Ludjiono (Petitioner) conveyed the posita (reason) to challenge Chapter III of the Law, which consists of 20 articles on, among others, the national language. He believes the Indonesian language (bahasa Indonesia) consists of spoken and written varieties as well as the Indonesian script. However, the norms do not describe the concrete form of the Indonesian script, unlike the state emblem—the Garuda that faces right- and the national flag -- which has certain colors and ratios. He alleges that the lack of description of the language is in violation of Article 27 paragraph (3), Article 28G paragraphs (1) and (2), Article 36C of the 1945 Constitution.

In his petitum, he requests that the Court declare Chapter III of Law No. 24 of 2009 on the National Flag, Language, Emblem, and Anthem relating to the national language without the article on the state emblem, which reads, “The state language shall be the Indonesian language in spoken and written forms” unconstitutional and not legally binding.

Author       : Sri Pujianti
Editor        : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR            : Tiara Agustina
Translator  : Nyi Mas Laras Nur Inten Kemalasari/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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