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Civis 004/2016
I. Introduction
Starting from the implementation of democratic elections in 1999, the reformation has lasted for more than 17 years now. Indonesia is now recognized as the third largest democratic country in the world after India and the United States.
Democracy in Indonesia is not merely a statement and pseudo-symbolic, but is in fact a constitutional requirement and practiced in reality. The 1945 Constitution as the supreme legal basis was successfully reformed through 4 stages of amendments from 1999 to 2002.
The main principles of a democratic constitution, such as people sovereignty, checks and balances, the rule of law and the recognition of human rights (rule of law), the circulation leadership in a fair, accountable and periodically were established in the constitution.
Meanwhile, the main principles of the nation’s existence and ideology of Indonesia, Pancasila and the Preamble as well as the form of the unitary state of Indonesia, are firmly retained.
Thus, essentially, the 1945 Amendment is how the path to reach the ideals of the Proclamation of August 14, 1945 is reformed and democratised. But after 17 years, there are still many weaknesses and challenges that must be overcome so that the ideals of the Proclamation, a just and prosperous society, can be realized.
Applying democracy to the institutions and its process needs to be built and consolidated so that realizing the goals and ideals can be successfully achieved and to avoid disappointment which would lead to the desire to take a non-democratic authoritarian way. (continued in Part 2)
(This paper was presented by the writer in the Strategic Forum of Church and Politics, in Jakarta, April 7-9, 2016)
Drs. Jakob Tobing, MPA
President, Leimena Institute
Jakob Tobing is one of the most prominent architects of the new democratic Indonesia. He played an instrumental role in Indonesia’s transition from the authoritarian rule to democracy in 1998. He was then entrusted as the Chairman of the 1999 National Election Committee and the 1999-2004 Parliamentary Commission on the Constitutional Amendment – the two important bodies that decisively replaced authoritarianism with democracy in Indonesia. Under his leadership, the constitutional amendment has guaranteed the principles of democracy, rule of law, and human rights, which is now seen as a model by many other countries. He was a student leader against the old order in 1966, appointed as member of parliament in 1968, and became the Vice Chairman of the ruling party during the Suharto’s regime. But during the height of the authoritarian regime, he joined the opposition and was invited to join and establish the reform PDIP party by its Chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who later became the President of Indonesia. President Habibie decorated him with Mahaputera Utama medal in 1999. After more than three decades as a member of parliament, in 2004 he was appointed as the Indonesian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, a leadership role which again he performed so outstanding that the Republic of Korea awarded him the Gwanghwa medal—the country’s highest diplomatic award. He received his graduate degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA.