"MPR holds a vital role as the last line of defense for the constitution," Muzani said at the event held at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta.
He stressed that the MPR must ensure the 1945 Constitution remains intact, relevant, and upheld as the nation's highest legal authority.
"MPR ensures the promises of independence are fulfilled through justice, prosperity, unity, and true sovereignty," he said.
Muzani further noted, “This authority represents the MPR’s ‘eyes and ears’ in observing how the constitution is implemented.”
He added that the MPR must closely evaluate the operation of Indonesia’s presidential system to ensure its effectiveness, while also addressing overlapping authorities among state institutions, which can lead to either power vacuums or concentration of power.
“This includes ensuring that every legal product — from national legislation to local regulations — does not conflict with the 1945 Constitution,” he said.
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Muzani warned that only through objective and thorough assessments can the MPR help prevent policies that could undermine the legal order and the constitutional spirit.
He delivered the remarks in response to what he described as growing temptations to disregard the constitution, especially when its noble values are reduced to mere formalities.
Indonesia’s state governance, he argued, often faces dilemmas between nationalistic values and the ideal of building a modern nation-state, compounded by conflicts among political and ideological factions — tensions that sometimes escalate at the grassroots level.
“This attitude threatens to erode the foundations of our state, damage the legal system, and ultimately destroy the nation’s noble aspirations,” Muzani said.
He also quoted national figure Muhammad Yamin, who once stated that the proclamation of independence and the constitution are inseparable — where the proclamation represents a political declaration and the constitution provides its legal foundation, ensuring the sovereignty of the people.
“Yamin emphasized that the constitution must reflect the soul and aspirations of the Indonesian people, not merely imitate the constitutions of other countries,” he added.
Given that, Muzani concluded, it is not an overstatement to assert that the constitution stands as the highest source of law in the country.
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Translator: Melalusa, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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