“Over the past 15 years, democracy has progressed, but during the same period, we have seen free-market forces dominate public policy. Therefore, the President is offering a new concept, which he calls constitutional politics and a constitutional economy,” Iskandar said here on Sunday.
He made this statement during the closing ceremony of the 2025 National Qiraatil Kutub (reading classical Islamic texts) Competition (MQKN) in Jakarta.
He explained that the constitutional economy refers to an economic framework that returns to the mandate of the 1945 Constitution. Article 33 of the Constitution essentially states that the national economy shall be organized as a collective effort based on the principle of kinship.
“This means restoring the role of the state to ensure that the most marginalized Indonesians are not continuously victimized by market competition,” he added.
In his speech, he also emphasized the vital role of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) in promoting democracy, social progress, and economic empowerment.
He described pesantren as not merely educational institutions, but as centers of knowledge, devotion, and social transformation.
“Social engineering shows that pesantren play a major role in shaping culture and society,” he pointed out.
He believes pesantren have contributed meaningfully to Indonesia’s democracy and poverty alleviation efforts by combining education and empowerment to help individuals improve their livelihoods and social standing.
“The educational function and the empowerment function are roles that, historically, pesantren have been able to maintain, helping people improve their lives,” he noted.
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Translator: Fath, Kenzu
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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