Challenges of Politicization The Role of the Constitutional Court (MK) in Indonesian Politics
On Tuesday, 17 October 2023, a Moya Institute webinar was held with the topic entitled ‘MK: Fortress of the Constitution?’. This webinar is a platform for political thinkers and observers to talk about the role of the Constitutional Court (MK) in the Indonesian political context.
One of the speakers who participated in this webinar was Dr. Sirojudin Abbas, Executive Director of SMRC (Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting). Dr. Sirojudin Abbas discussed the dynamics of relations between political parties, Presidential Candidates (Capres), and President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during the second period of his leadership. According to him, this relationship is increasingly unbalanced.
Dr. Sirojudin Abbas, who is the Executive Director of SMRC, explained, “Both in the relationship between the executive and the legislature in the DPR, as well as between the President and the political parties, which is increasingly rift.”
Then, he also highlighted President Jokowi’s high approval rating, which has consistently been above 60 percent and even reached 70 to 82 percent in surveys conducted in the last year.
“This means that from an approval rating perspective, it can be seen that our President’s political capital is very good and strong,” said Sirojudin Abbas
However, Dr. Sirojudin Abbas emphasized that on the other hand, the approval rating of the DPR (House of Representatives) and political parties is always in the lowest position, reflecting the imbalance in political influence in Indonesia. He also pointed out that support and positive perceptions regarding the relationship between President Jokowi and certain presidential candidates, such as Prabowo Subianto, had provided significant impetus for strengthening these presidential candidates.
The next resource person in the webinar is Prof. Imron Cotan, an observer of Strategic and Global Issues. Prof. Imron Cotan expressed his views on the role of the Constitutional Court in the Indonesian political context.
“Actually, the Constitutional Court’s decision exceeds what was requested, thus causing confusion and big questions among the public, because our new social contract is anti-KKN, including for the advancement of democracy.” Said Prof. Imron Cotan in a webinar on Tuesday (17/10/2023) at Zoom Meeting.
Prof. Imron Cotan then mentioned the basis for forming a post-reform government, which began with a commitment to prevent KKN (Corruption, Collusion, Nepotism) practices and advance democratic values.
“That is the basis of the establishment of the post-reform government, we are committed to preventing the practice of KKN and at the same time advancing democratic values so that in our lives we can have a solid foundation towards a Golden Indonesia 2045.” Added Prof. Imron Cotan.
This webinar discusses important issues related to the constitution and politics in Indonesia. With diverse views from the interviewees, the main conclusion is that the role of the Constitutional Court in Indonesian politics is the subject of complex and challenging debate. This debate reflects the developing dynamics of Indonesian politics, and the role of the Constitutional Court in maintaining the constitution and democracy remains in the main spotlight.
