The Lurking Peril that Still Await A Constitutional Answer

• Author: Pranoto Iskandar
• Position: The Institute for Migrant Rights
• Pages: 97-100

e Indonesian Journal of International & Comparative Law

ISSN: 2338-7602; E-ISSN: 2338-770X

http://www.ijil.org

© 2020 e Institute for Migrant Rights Press

thE lurking PEril that still awaits

a Constitutional answEr

Pranoto Iskandar

e Institute for Migrant Rights

E-mail: pranotoi@imr.or.id

President Jokowi’s appointment of his most antagonistic political op-

ponents to key roles in his administration is a testament not only to

his statesmanship, but to a shrewd strategy to propel Indonesia’s econ-

omy toward prosperity. By eliminating pointless partisan squabbling,

and for the rst time in Indonesia’s on-and-o democratic history, our

government will be able to realize development programs in a timely

manner. is impressive coalition of rivals, however, may not have the

answer to our greatest government challenge: how to entrench ecient

and eective governance into Indonesia’s evolving political infrastruc-

ture.

What has continued to derail Indonesia’s economic development

agenda is the confusion surrounding the functions of the political

institutions described in our Constitution. By clearly delineating their

roles and responsibilities, the Constitution could guide these handful

of state institutions in eective goal setting, smooth implementation

of these goals, and ultimately our sustainable economic development.

Should there be a conict among these institutions, the Constitution

would provide much need clarication and avoid a potential

constitutional crisis. Fortunately, the upcoming round of constitutional

amendments may prove to be a vehicle for providing just this clarifying

opportunity.

Dampening this optimism, however, are the current debates and

discussions of adding clarity to our vague but much-loved Constitution.

e current discussions seem to be out of touch with this more practical

need to clarify the roles and responsibilities of our political institutions.

For example, one suggested amendment is to directly incorporating the