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When World War
II broke out in Europe and spread to the Pacific, the Japanese
occupied the Dutch East Indies as of March 1942, after the
surrender of the Dutch colonial army following the fall of
Hong Kong, Manila and Singapore.
On April 1, 1945, American troops landed in Okinawa. Soon
after, in August 6 and 9, the United States dropped Atom bombs
on two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A few days
later, on August 14 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the
Allied Forces.
That occasion opened the opportunity for the Indonesian people
to proclaim their independence. Three days after the unconditional
Japanese surrender, on august 17, 1945, the Indonesian national
leaders Ir. Soekarno and Drs. Mohammad Hatta proclaimed Indonesia`s
independence on behalf of the people.
The proclamation, which took place at 58, Jalan Pegangsaan
Timur, Jakarta, was heard by thousands of Indonesians throughout
the country because the text was secretly broadcast by Indonesian
radio personnel using the transmitters of the Japanese-controlled
radio station, Jakarta Hoso Kyoku. An English translation
of the proclamation was broadcast overseas.
Pancasila, pronounced Panchaseela,
is the philosophical basis of the Indonesian State. Pancasila
consists of two Sanskrit words, “Panca” meaning
five, and “Sila” meaning principle. It comprises
five inseparable and interrelated principles. They are:
- BELIEF IN THE ONE AND ONLY GOD
- JUST AND CIVILIZED HUMANITY
- THE UNITY OF INDONESIA
- DEMOCRACY GUIDED BY THE INNER WISDOM IN THE UNANIMITY
ARISING OUT OF DELIBERATIONS AMONGST REPRESENTATIVES
- SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR WHOLE OF THE PEOPLE OF INDONESIA
Elaboration of the five principles is as follows:
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Belief in the One and Only God
This principle of Pancasila reaffirms the Indonesian people’s
belief that God does exist. It also implies that the Indonesian
people believe in life after death. It emphasizes the
pursuit sacred values will lead the people to a better
life in the hereafter. The principle is embodied in article
29, Section 1of the 1945 Constitution and reads: The state
shall be based on the belief in the One and Only God.
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Just and Civilized Humanity
Just principle requires that human beings be treated with
due regard to their dignity as God’s creatures.
It emphasizes that the Indonesian people do not tolerate
physical or spiritual oppression of human beings by their
own people or by any other nation.
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The Unity of Indonesia
This principle embodies the concept of nationalism, of
love for one’s nation and motherland. It envisages
the need to always foster national unity and integrity.
Pancasila Nationalsm demands that Indonesians avoid feelings
of superiority on ethnical grounds, for reasons of ancestry
and colour of the skin. In 1928 Indonesian youth pledged
to have one country, one nation and one language, while
the Indonesian coat of arms enshrines the symbols of “Bhineka
Tunggal Ika” which means “Unity in diversity”.
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Democracy Guided by the Inner Wisdom in the
Unanimity Arising Out of Deliberations amongst Representatives
Pancasila democracy calls for decision-making through
deliberations, or musyawarah, to reach a consensus, or
mufakat. It is democracy that lives up to the principles
of Pancasila. This implies that democratic right must
always be exercised with a deep sense of responsibility
to God Almighty according to one’s own conviction
and religious belief, with respect for humanitarian values
of man’s dignity and integrity, and with a view
to preserving and strengthening national unity and the
pursuit of social justice.
Thus, Pancasila Democracy means democracy based on the
people’s soveregnity which is inspired by and integrated
with other principles of Pancasila. This means that the
use of democratic rights should always be in line with
respüomnsibility towards God Almighty according to
the respective faith; uphold humanvalues in line with
human dignity; guarantee and strengthen national unity;
and be aimed at realizing social justice for the whole
of the people of Indonesia.
- Social Justice for the Whole of the People of
Indonesia
This principle calls for the equitable spread of welfare
to the entire population, not in a static but in a dynamic
progressive way. This means that all the country’s
natural resources and the national potentials should be
utilized for the greater possible good and happiness of
the people.
Social justice implies protection of the weak. But protection
should not deny them work. On the contrary, they should work
according to their abilities and fields of activity. Protection
should prevent wilful treatment by the strong and ensure the
rule of justice.
These are the sacred values of Pancasila which, as a cultural
principle, should always be respected by every Indonesian
because it is now the ideology of the state and the life philosophy
of the Indonesian people.
The Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia is usually
referred to as the 1945 Constitution. This partly because
the constitution was drafted and adopted in 1945 when the
Republic was being established, and partly to distinguish
it from other constitutions which were introduced in free
Indonesia. Furthermore, the articles of the 1945 Constitution
spell out the ideals and the goals for which independence
was proclaimed on August 17, 1945, and defended there after.
It reflects the spirit and vigor of the time when the constitution
was shaped. It was inspired by the urge for unity and for
the common goals and democracy built upon the age-old Indonesian
concepts of gotong royong (mutual assistance), deliberations
of representatives (musyawarah) and consensus (mufakat).
Preceded by a preamble, the Constitution of the Republic
of Indonesia consists of 37 articles, four transitional clauses
and two additional provisions.
The preamble is composed of four paragraphs and includes
a condemnation of any form of colonialism in the world, a
reference to Indonesia’s struggle for independence,
a declaration of independence and a statement of fundamental
goals and principles. It further states, inter alia, that
Indonesia’s national independence shall be established
in the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia with sovereignty
vested in the people. The State shall be based upon the following
philosophical principles: Belief in the One and Only God,
just and civilized humanity, the unity of Indonesia, democracy
guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of
deliberations amongst representatives, and social justice
for the whole of the people of Indonesia.
Guide by these fundamental principles, the basic aims of
the state are to establish an Indonesian Government which
shall protect all the Indonesian people and their entire motherland,
advance the public welfare, develop the intellectual life
of the nation, and contribute toward the establishment of
a world order based on freedom peace and social justice.
The Amendments of the 1945 Constitution
Since the reformation era, the 1945 Constitution has experienced
some amendments, additions, and completion for four times
in the annual session of 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The amendments
were based on topics covering among other are the following
issues:
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Sovereignty
The Constitution, the 1945 Constitution originally adhered
an ideology that the sovereignty was vested in the people
executed fully by the People’s Consultative Assembly
(Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat / MPR). It adhered an
ideology of the PCA supremacy, making the PCA be a state
institution that had unlimited authority because it became
an institution of the sovereignty embodiment of all Indonesian
people. Its huge and unlimited power caused MPR was unable
to be controlled by any other state institutions. Accordingly,
MPR became a super body state institution that in the
structure of the matters pertaining to form of the government
of the Republic of Indonesia was positioned as the highest
state institution. To keep abreast to the changing era,
the original 1945 Constitution views was no longer conforming
to democracy ideology that required the implementation
of checks and balances system among intra-state institutions.
For that, its decree of the Article 2 section (1) was
converted to the sovereignty is vested in the people and
executed according to the constitution.
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The Structure of the Membership Authority of the
People’s Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
Rakyat /MPR)
Before the amendment, the stsructure of the membership
of the MPR consisted of member of the House of Representative
(Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat /DPR) included appointed members
of the Indonesian Military /Police, the appointed Regional
Delegates ( Utusan Daerah /UD), and Group / Delegates
( Utusan Golongan /UG). The member of DPR were elected
in the General Election, while the UD and the UG were
appointed. The appointment of some members of MPR was
considered not conforming to with the teaching and spirit
of democracy, therefore the formulation was changed by
conforming that all members of MPR have to be chosen by
the people through general election. With this amendment,
the structure of the membership of MPR consists of DPR
members and the Regional Representatives’ Council
members, a new representative institution in the structure
of the matters pertaining to form of government of the
Republic of Indonesia.
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The Authority of the President
The 1945 Constitution adheres presidential government
system. Either in theoretic and practice of the matters
pertaining to form of government in countries following
the presidential government system by this constitution,
the president has such a quite big and important power
and role. So does in Indonesia. Therefore, it was logical
that there quite many materials related to the Presidential
authority in the 1945 Constitution that spread over in
various articles and sections, especially concerning his
power begun from declaring war until granting abolition.
- Direct Election of the President and the Vice-President
by the People
Since the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia, the
election of president and vice president had been executed
by MPR by an indirect of representative mechanism. In accordance
with the spirit of democracy that requiring the people are
being given the right to elect the president and vice-president
directly, so the current election system by MPR has to be
changed to the direct election system by the people.
If the conditions of the first round general election are
not fulfilled, the second round will be executed to appoint
a candidate pair who has the majority vote from the first
and second ranks. The couple that has the majority vote
will be inaugurated as the president and vice-president.
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The Term of Office of the President and Vice-President
Before having been amended, the formulation of the term
of office of the president and vice-president in the 1945
Constitution was not decisive or concrete to arrange the
frequency of the term. In consequence, it opened chance
for more than one interpretation. The amended 1945 Constitution
sets that the president and vicepresident hold the fixed
term of five years and can be re-elected for another term.
It means that an Indonesia citizen is only being able
to be voted for the president and vice-president for 10
years consecutively.
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The Discharge of the President and Vice-President
on Posts
Prior, there was no decree in the 1945 Constitution which
arranged the discharge of the president and/or vice-president
from their offices. The constitution only stipulated a
decree on the accountability of the president before the
extraordinary session of MPR based on the invitation of
the DPR. It is executed when DPR considers the president
is really violating the basic state guidelines of state
policy.
Now the amended 1945 Constitution embodies casual factors
and procedures of discharging the president and/or vice-president
from their offices.
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The replacement of the President amid the Term by
the Vice-President
According to the amended 1945 Constitution, the position
of the Vice-President is to assist the President in discharging
his/her duties. That position makes the Vicepresident
automatically shall replace the president until the end
of his/her term if the president die, resigns is discharged,
or unable to discharge his/her duties during his/her term
of office.
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The Executor of the Presidential Duties
Although improbable, there remain another possibility
of the emergency condition caused by, for example, the
President and Vice-President at the same time die, resign,
and are discharged, or are unable to discharge their duties
of offices during on their terms. In this condition, prompt
decision based on a strong law is needed.
Anticipating such case the amended 1945 Constitution,
stipulates that in case that condition occurred, the executors
of the presidential duties are that consisting of three
cabinet members namely: the Foreign Affairs Minister,
the Home Affairs Minister and the Defence Minister.
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The formation of the President Advisory Council and
the Elimination of the Supreme Advisory Council (Dewan
Pertimbangan Agung /DPA)
The existence of DPA as a state institution, which was
equal with the president and had a task to give advice
and judgment to the president was viewed as less effective
and efficient. It was due to unbinding of the advice and
judgment to the president.
Based on that consideration, the amended 1945 Constitution
eliminates the existence of DPA. To substitute for it
the constitution gives the authority to the President
to form the Advisory Council that has the task to give
advice and judgment to the President.
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The State Ministry
As a constitution adhering to the ideology of presidential
government system, the amended 1945 Constitution asserts
that the state ministers, who are appointed and discharged
by him/her, are to assist the President.
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The Regional Government
The regions are given the freedom and authorities to exploit
and manage their natural resources, with the yield emphasized
regulates to raise the regional progress and prosperity.
The regional autonomy has to be executed and remains within
the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
The newly amended Constitution also regulates the state
recognition of and respect for regional administration
units, which is special and extraordinary in character.
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The Regional Representative’s Council
The amended 1945 Constitution introduces a new representative
institution in the structure of the government of Indonesia.
The institution is the Regional Representative Council
(Dewan Perwakilan Daerah /DPD) as stated in the provisions
of the Chapter VIIA concerning the DPD.
 The
Indonesian national flag is called “Sang Saka Merah
Putih”. The flag is made up of two colors, red on top
of white. It’s width is two-third of its length, or
two meters by three meters. It is hoisted in front of the
presidential palace, of government buildings and Indonesian
mission abroad. The first flag was courageously flown amidst
Japanese occupation forces on the day Indonesia’s independence
was proclaimed. Since then it has been hoisted at independence
day commemoration in front of the presidential palace in the
capital city of Jakarta. This historical flag, or “bendera
pusaka”, was flown for the last time on August 17, 1968.
Since then it has been preserved and replaced by a replica
woven of pure Indonesian silk.
 The
Indonesian coat of arms consists of a golden eagle, called
“garuda” that is a figure from ancient Indonesian
epics. It is also pictured on many temples from the 6th Century.The
eagle is a symbol of creative energy. It’s principal
color, gold, suggests the greatness of the nation. The black
color represents nature. There are 17 feathers on each wing,
8 on the tail and 45 on the neck. These figures stand for
the date of Indonesia’s independence proclamation: 17
August 1945.The motto, “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”
(Unity in Diversity), is enshrined on a banner held in the
eagle’s talons.
The national anthem is “Indonesia
Raya”, which means Great Indonesia. The song
was composed in 1928.
The birth of Indonesia Raya marked the beginning of Indonesian
nationalist movements. The song first introduced by its composer,
Wage Rudolf Supratman, at the second All Indonesian Youth
Congress on October 28, 1928 in Batavia, now Jakarta. It was
the moment when Indonesian youth of different ethnic, language,
religious and cultural backgrounds resolutely pledged allegiance
to:
1. One native land, Indonesia;
2. One nation, the Indonesian nation;
3. One unifying language, the Indonesian language.
Soon the national song, which called for the unity of Indonesia,
became popular. It was echoed at Indonesian political rallies,
where people stood in solemn observance. The song seriously
aroused national consciousness among the people throughout
the archipelago Indonesia’s National Anthem.
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