Constitutional Court of Indonesia

One of two national apex courts

Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia

Mahkamah Konstitusi Republik Indonesia

Coat of arms of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia

The Constitutional Court building in Jakarta

Established| 13 August 2003
Location| Jakarta, Indonesia
Composition method| 3 nominated by DPR, 3 by the President, 3 by the Supreme Court, and Presidential appointment.
Authorised by| Constitution of Indonesia
Judge term length| Fifteen years
Number of positions| 9
Website| mkri.id
Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia
Currently| Suhartoyo
Since| 13 November 2023
This article is part of a series on the

Politics of
Indonesia

National government

* Pancasila (national ideology)

* Constitution
* Law

Executive

* President of Indonesia

* Prabowo Subianto (Gerindra)

* Vice President of Indonesia

* Gibran Rakabuming Raka (Ind.)

* * *

* Cabinet

* Governor
* Regent or mayor

Legislature

* People's Consultative Assembly

* Speaker: Ahmad Muzani (Gerindra)

* * *

* House of Representatives

* Speaker: Puan Maharani (PDI-P)

* * *

* Regional Representative Council

* Speaker: Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin (Bengkulu)

Judiciary

* Supreme Court of Indonesia

* Chief Justice: Sunarto

* * *

* Constitutional Court of Indonesia

* Chief Justice: Suhartoyo

* * *

* Judicial Commission of Indonesia

* Chairman: Amzulian Rifai

Elections

* Law
* Electoral districts

* * *

* General Elections Commission

* Presidential elections
* 1945
* 1963
* 1968
* 1973
* 1978
* 1983
* 1988
* 1993
* 1998
* 1999
* 2004
* 2009
* 2014
* 2019
* 2024

* Legislative elections
* 1955 (Const.)
* 1955
* 1971
* 1977
* 1982
* 1987
* 1992
* 1997
* 1999
* 2004
* 2009
* 2014
* 2019
* 2024

* * *

* List of political parties

Foreign relations

* Diplomatic missions of Indonesia

* Diplomatic missions in Indonesia

* Indonesia portal
* Politics portal

* v
* t
* e

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Mahkamah Konstitusi Republik Indonesia) is one of the apex courts in Indonesia along with  the Indonesian Supreme Court. Its primary role is reviewing the constitutionality of Acts (undang-undang). It also has other functions, including resolving disputes over the powers of state institutions, settling disputes over the results of general elections, deciding on the dissolution of political parties, and supervising impeachment.[1] The last two functions have never been exercised by the Court.[2]

The Indonesian Constitutional Court was established as a consequence of the third amendment to the Constitution of Indonesia, ratified by the People's Consultative Assembly on 9 November 2001. Between the adoption of the third Constitutional amendment and the establishment of the Constitutional Court, the duties of the Constitutional Court were carried out by the Indonesian Supreme Court.[3]

The Court is the seat of the Permanent Secretariat for Planning and Coordination of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions.

## History

[edit]

In August 2003, the People's Consultative Assembly passed the Constitutional Court Act (Law No 24 of 2003) and the nine justices were appointed on 15 August. They were sworn in the following day. On 15 October 2003, the Supreme Court handed over authority, marking the start of the Constitutional Court's activities.[4] The nine founding judges were:

* Prof. Dr. Jimly Asshiddiqie from the University of Indonesia
* Dr. Harjono from Airlangga University, Surabaya
* I Dewa Gede Palguna from Udayana University, Denpasar
* Prof. Dr. Mohammad Laica Marzuki, a former judge of the Supreme Court
* Maruarar Siahaan, former chairman of the High Court of Bengkulu
* Soedarsono, former chairman of the Administrative High Court of Surabaya
* Prof. Abdul Mukthie Fadjar from Brawijaya University, Malang
* Prof. Ahmad Natabaya from Sriwijaya University, Palembang
* Lieutenant General (Retired) Achmad Roestandi.

For the first time, a prominent scholar who was actively involved in the process of discussing amendments to the Indonesian constitution and with the introduction of the idea of the constitutional court, Prof. Dr Jimly Asshiddiqie was elected the first chief judge (2003–2006). With the successful completion of his first period on the court, he was then re-elected as the chief judge for a second term of 2006–2009. He resigned from the court after finishing his first five-year term of office. After the completion of this first five years period, the Constitutional Court has been considered one of the icon of Indonesian reform success story, together with the Anti Corruption Eradication Commission. The leadership of the court continued under Prof. Dr Mohammad Mahfud, a senior politician of National Awakening Party and member of parliament.

The constitutional court has five jurisdictions:

* Constitutional review of legislation (law)
* Disputes about constitutional competence between state institutions
* Disputes about electoral results
* Dissolution of political parties
* Impeachment of the President or Vice President of Indonesia

With the establishment of the court, the aim is to safeguard democracy and the constitution according to the principle of rule of law, and the constitutional rights of the people and human rights can be protected accordingly. The high-profile performance of the constitutional court has made it a respected institution in Indonesia. During the general election and the first presidential election in 2004, the role taken by the constitutional court was widely appreciated by the people. Many landmark decisions have been made in the fields of politics, social, and economic law since its first year of establishment. The rehabilitation of the political rights of former members of communist party, the prohibition of retroactive law of anti-terrorism, the abolition of articles of subversive law and of defamation against presidential institution, etc., are among the landmark decisions which made it influential in guiding the new democracy of Indonesia. Public interest in the court has included discussion of the appointment processes of judges; the delineation of responsibilities between the Constitutional Court and other parts of the legal system; and overall approach that the Court has taken to the issues that it has considered.[5]

In mid-2011 the Indonesian parliament approved certain changes to the 2003 Constitutional Court Law that established the Constitutional Court.[6] The revisions approved include changes to the arrangements for the Court's ethics council, a strengthening of the qualifications and experience required for the appointment of justices, a reduction in the term of the Court's chair and deputy chair (to two-and-a-half years, down from three years), and raising the mandatory retirement age for justices from 67 to 70 years. The proposal to change the arrangements for the membership of the Court's ethics council was a controversial issue with the first chief judge of the court, Jimly Asshiddiqie, describing the planned changes as "frivolous."

In October 2013, in a move designed to improve the standards of appointment of justices to the Court following the arrest of the then-chief justice Akil Mochtar, president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued a regulation-in-lieu-of-law (known as a Peraturan Pemerintah Pengganti Undang-undang or Perppu). The Perppu set out new arrangements relating to the processes of selection of justices. Under the proposed arrangements, a Constitutional Court justice is not to have had links to a political party for at least seven years and would have to undergo screening by an independent selection panel. In addition, a permanent ethics committee was to be established to monitor the performance of the Court. On 19 December 2013 the Indonesian parliament endorsed the Perppu.[7]

On 16 October 2023, in response to a petition filed by a student named Almas Tsaqib Birru Re A, the court amended the Election Law to allow people under 40 years old to stand for the presidency or vice-presidency if they had experience as regional leaders.[8] This allowed President Jokowi's oldest son and mayor of Surakarta, 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka to contest the 2024 presidential election. This ruling attracted criticism because Chief Justice Anwar Usman is Jokowi's brother-in-law and Gibran's uncle.[9][10] On 6 February 2024, Ganjar Pranowo stated in an interview that the Constitutional Court has committed an ethical violation together with the General Elections Commission due to being involved in an acceptance of the registration of Gibran Rakabuming Raka who was registered as a vice presidential candidate in participating in the election stages.[11]

## Powers

[edit]

The court has the same legal standing as the Supreme Court. Its powers, set out in article 24C of the Constitution, include the final say in reviewing laws concerning the Constitution, disputes over the authority of state institutions, the dissolution of political parties and disputes over election results. It also is obliged to rule on any attempt to impeach the president.

Its jurisdiction on the electoral disputes[12] was first limited to the five-yearly general elections (such as the 2004 and 2009 general elections). However, since 2009 the definition of general election has been broadened and includes the election of governors and regency heads (bupati). To date, of the five jurisdictions of the court, most cases handled have centred around issues of judicial review, disputed electoral results, and disputes between state institutions. The Supreme Court continues to perform an informal judicial review function.[13]

A major problem for the court, like other parts of the legal system in Indonesia, is enforcement of decisions. The ability of the court system in Indonesia to have decisions enforced is sometimes quite weak and in recent years across Indonesia local officials have, in some cases, refused to abide by important decisions of the Constitutional Court.[14]

## Organization

[edit]

### Leadership

[edit]

Main article: Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia

The Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia is the highest- and second-highest ranking official serving on the Court. Both the Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice are elected from among the nine sitting justices on the Court.

#### Justices

[edit]

The Indonesian Constitution specifies that the Court must have nine justices. The People's Representantive Council, the President, and the Supreme Court are each entitled to appoint three justices.[15] Under the Constitutional Court Law revision in 2020, justices are to hold their position for 15 years until they reach 70 years of age. In terms of the current justices, the law provides that they will retire when they have ended their 15-year term or they have reached the age of 70.[16] Currently, the sitting justices of the Court are as follow.[17][18]

Current Justices of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia  #  | Justices  | Position  | Nominator

|
|
|

Portrait  | Name
1  |  | Suhartoyo | Chief Justice[19]

since 9 November 2023

| Supreme Court
2  |  | Saldi Isra | Deputy Chief Justice

since 15 March 2023

| President
3  | Arief Hidayat MK | Arief Hidayat | Justice  | People's Representative Council
4  |  | Anwar Usman | Justice  | Supreme Court
5  |  | Enny Nurbaningsih | Justice  | President
6  |  | Arsul Sani | Justice  | People's Representative Council
7  |  | Ridwan Mansyur | Justice  | Supreme Court
8  |  | Daniel Yusmic Pancastaki Foekh | Justice  | President
9  |  | Guntur Hamzah | Justice  | People's Representative Council

### Secretariat General

[edit]

The Secretariat General of the Constitutional Court (Indonesian: Sekretariat Jenderal Mahkamah Konstitusi) is the office responsible for technical, non-judicial administration of the court, and is headed by a Secretary General. The Secretary General is responsible for:

* Bureau of Planning and Supervision (Biro Perencanaan dan Pengawasan)
* Bureau of Finance and Human Resources (Biro Keuangan dan Kepegawaian)
* Bureau of Public Relation and Protocols (Biro Hubungan Masyarakat dan Protokol)
* Bureau of General Affairs (Biro Umum)
* Center for Research and Dispute Analysis, Information and Communication Technology Management (Pusat Penelitian dan Pengkajian Perkara, Pengelolaan Teknologi Informasi dan Komunikasi)
* Center for Pancasila and Constitutional Education (Pusat Pendidikan Pancasila dan Konstitusi)

### Clerk Office

[edit]

The Constitutional Court Clerk Office (Indonesian: Kepaniteraan Mahkamah Konstitusi) is responsible for judicial administration of the Court, and is headed by a Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk is assisted by two Deputy Clerks, with Deputy Clerk I responsible for constitutional reviews, disputes between state institution, and legislative and presidential election disputes. Junior Court Clerk II is responsible for adjudication on impeachments, adjudication on dissolutions of political parties and on local electoral disputes.

## See also

[edit]

* Constitution
* Constitutionalism
* Constitutional economics
* Jurisprudence
* Judiciary
* Rule of law
* Rule According to Higher Law
* Supreme Court of Indonesia
* Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions

## References

[edit]

* Denny Indrayana (2008) Indonesian Constitutional Reform 1999-2002: An Evaluation of Constitution-Making in Transition, Kompas Book Publishing, Jakarta ISBN 978-979-709-394-5.
* Jimly Asshiddiqie (2009), The Constitutional Law of Indonesia: A Comprehensive Overview, Thompson Sweet & Maxwell Asia, Singapore.
* Simon Butt (2015), The Constitutional Court and Democracy in Indonesia, Brill Nijhoff, the Netherlands.
* Stefanus Hendrianto (2018), Law and Politics of Constitutional Courts: Indonesia and the Search for Judicial Heroes, Routledge, London and New York.

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Hendrianto, Stefanus (2020). Law and Politics of Constitutional Courts: Indonesia and the Search for Judicial Heroes. [S.l.]: Routledge. p. 52\. ISBN 9780367591748. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
2. ^ Butt, Simon (2015). The Constitutional Court and Democracy in Indonesia. Leiden: BRILL. p. 5\. ISBN 978-90-04-25059-8. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
3. ^ Denny Indrayana (2008), pp. 241, 266
4. ^ Constitutional Court Website: History of The Constitution Court accessed 17 May 2009
5. ^ Prodita Sabarini and Ina Parlina, 'Constitutional Court: Independence of the last resort', The Jakarta Post, 3 May 2013.
6. ^ 'Constitutional Court's power to be limited Archived 17 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine', The Jakarta Globe, 15 June 2011. Dicky Christanto, 'House passes amendments to Constitutional Court law', The Jakarta Post, 22 June 2011
7. ^ Haeril Halim and Ina Parlina, 'House endorses SBY's MK reform plan', The Jakarta Post, 20 December 2013.
8. ^ "Poin-poin Putusan MK Terkait Gugatan Usia Capres-Cawapres". nasional (in Indonesian). CNN Indonesia. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
9. ^ Nur Janti (16 October 2023). "BREAKING: Constitutional Court opens door for Jokowi's son to run in presidential poll". The Jakarta Post. Jakarta: PT. Bina Media Tenggara. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
10. ^ Edna Tarigan; Niniek Karmini (16 October 2023). "Indonesia's top court rules against lowering presidential candidates' age limit, but adds exception". Associated Press. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
11. ^ Hantoro, Juli (6 February 2024). "KPU dan MK Langgar Etik Loloskan Gibran, Ganjar Pranowo : Demokrasi Kita Sedang Dipertaruhkan". Tempo (in Indonesian). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
12. ^ Jimly Asshiddiqie, The Constitutional Law of Indonesia: A Comprehensive Overview, Thompson Sweet & Maxwell Asia (2009).
13. ^ Palmer, Wayne; Missbach, Antje (2018). "Judicial Discretion and the Minimum Statutory Sentence for Migrant Smuggling through Indonesia". Asian Journal of Law and Society. 5 (2): 413–431\. doi:10.1017/als.2018.7. ISSN 2052-9015.413-431&rft.date=2018&rft_id=info:doi/10.1017/als.2018.7&rft.issn=2052-9015&rft.aulast=Palmer&rft.aufirst=Wayne&rft.au=Missbach,+Antje&rft_id=https://doi.org/10.1017%2Fals.2018.7&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Constitutional+Court+of+Indonesia" class="Z3988">
14. ^ See International Crisis Group, Indonesia: Defying the State Archived 2 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Update Briefing, Asia Briefing No 138, 30 August 2012.
15. ^ Butt, Simon (19 May 2015). The Constitutional Court and Democracy in Indonesia. Leiden: Brill Nijhoff. ISBN 978-90-04-25059-8. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
16. ^ Ghaliya, Ghina. "House passes Constitutional Court Law revision amid public outcry". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
17. ^ Biographical details of the judges are at the official website of the Court.
18. ^ "Saldi Isra hopes to bring change as youngest constitutional court justice". The Jakarta Post. 11 March 2017.
19. ^ "MK putuskan Suhartoyo gantikan Anwar Usman sebagai ketua Mahkamah Konstitusi". BBC News Indonesia (in Indonesian). 7 November 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website of the court (Indonesian language)

* v
* t
* e

Government of Indonesia

Executive Branch|

| Central
Government|

| Elected officials|

* President of Indonesia
* list
* Vice President of Indonesia
* list

|

Cabinet (List)
and Ministries|

* Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
* Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction
* Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs
* Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development
* Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs
* Coordinating Minister for Social Empowerment
* Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs
* Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning
* Agriculture
* Cultural Affairs
* Communication and Digital Affairs
* Cooperatives
* Creative Economy
* Defense
* Energy and Mineral Resources
* Environment
* Finance
* Foreign Affairs
* Forestry
* Higher Education, Science, and Technology
* Human Rights
* Health
* Home Affairs
* Housing and Residential Area
* Immigration and Correction
* Migrant Workers Protection
* Industry
* Investment and Downstream Industry
* Law
* Manpower
* Marine Affairs and Fisheries
* Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises
* National Development Planning
* Public Works
* Population and Family Development
* Primary and Secondary Education
* Religious Affairs
* Social Affairs
* State Secretariat
* State Apparatus Utilization and Bureaucratic Reform
* State-Owned Enterprises
* Tourism
* Trade
* Transportation
* Transmigration
* Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions
* Women Empowerment and Child Protection
* Youth and Sports

Non-Ministerial
Government
Agency|

* Attorney General's Office
* Maritime Security Agency
* National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure
* National Armed Forces
* National Counter Terrorism Agency
* National Cyber and Crypto Agency
* National Land Agency
* National Narcotics Board
* National Police
* National Resilience Institute
* National Search and Rescue Agency
* State Intelligence Agency
* Quarantine Agency
* Bank Indonesia
* Finance and Development Supervisory Agency
* Government Goods and Services Procurement Policy Institute
* Investment Coordinating Board
* Hajj Organizing Agency
* Migrant Workers Protection Agency
* National Population and Family Planning Board
* Statistics Indonesia
* Food and Drug Authority
* Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency
* Environment Control Board
* Geospatial Information Agency
* Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency
* National Archives of Indonesia
* National Development Planning Agency
* National Food Agency
* National Library of Indonesia
* National Nutrition Agency
* National Research and Innovation Agency
* National Standardization Agency
* Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency
* Creative Economy Agency
* National Administration Institute
* National Civil Service Agency
* Radio of the Republic of Indonesia
* Television of the Republic of Indonesia

Regional
Government|

* Governor
* list
* Regent or Mayor

Legislative Branch|

| Central
Government|

* People's Consultative Assembly
* House of Representatives
* list
* Regional Representative Council
* list

|

Regional
Government|

* Regional House of Representatives

Judicial Branch|

* Supreme Court
* Constitutional Court
* Judicial Commission

Other Government
Agencies|

* Audit Board
* Executive Office of the President
* National Economics Council
* Nusantara Capital City Authority
* Presidential Communication Office
* Public Prosecution Service

* Indonesia portal
* WikiProject
* Commons
* Category

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Australia

Academics|

* CiNii

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template