To a certain extent, the enigmatic process of Indonesian constitutional amendment has been adequately raised, if not explained. Nonetheless, it is a no-brainer to suggest that the available accounts are far from presenting the whole picture of the process. Should we recognize the utmost gravity of the process of the emergence of the current model of democratization, it is imperative to consider the elusive contribution of the Constitutional Commission (“Komisi Konstitusi”) as a small cadre of Indonesia’s intellectual elites. Needless to say, this “other” process has been overlooked by the available scholarly accounts up to a point where it occupies the dustbin of history. Having said that, this article is the first to present a discussion on the overlooked work of the Commission as an elite-driven process of constitution-making in democratizing Indonesia. In addition to being situated within the tradition of archival-based biographical study, this study places the Commission as it pertains to the broader theoretical question with regard to the contemporary idea of constitutional tradition in Indonesian political thought. Moreover, another salient argument that this paper raises is that public displays of self-importance of the Commission provide a window not only for understanding the dynamics of the post-authoritarian Indonesian political thought but no less important to make a case for the importance of cultural analysis in understanding the constitutional practice.
Keywords: dispute, resolution, pentagonal relationships, cultural legal analysis, Indonesia Copyright @2017 De La Salle UniversAlexander, J. C. (2003). The meaning of social life. Oxford University Press.
Alexander, J. C., Smith, P., & Norton, M. (Eds.). (2011). Interpreting Clifford Geertz: Cultural investigation in the social sciences. Palgrave Macmillan.
Alexander, J. C., Jacobs, R. N., & Smith, P. (2012). Introduction: Cultural sociology today. In J. C. Alexander, R. N. Jacobs, & P. Smith (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of cultural sociology (pp. 3–23). Oxford University Press.
Allard, T., & Damiana, J. (2019, April 11). Pushing the envelope: Money politics mars Indonesian poll. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-election-corruption/pushing-the-envelope-money-politics-mars-indonesian-poll-idUSKCN1RN06T
Amr. (2003, October 13). Hasil kerja Komisi Konstitusi penting bagi Mahkamah Konstitusi [The work of the Constitutional Commission is important for the Constitutional Court]. Hukum Online. https://www.hukumonline.com/berita/baca/hol8964/hasil-kerja-komisi-konstitusi-penting-bagi-mahkamah-konstitusi/
Aspinall, E. (2005). Opposing Suharto: Compromise, resistance, and regime change in Indonesia. Stanford University Press.
Bedner, A. (2013). Indonesian legal scholarship and jurisprudence as an obstacle for transplanting legal institutions. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 5(2), 253–273. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1876404512001145
Bell, G. F. (2001). The new Indonesian laws relating to regional autonomy: Good intentions, confusing laws. Asian Pacific Law & Policy Journal, 5(2), 1–44.
Brandt, M., Cottrell, J., Ghai, Y., & Regan, A. (2011). Constitution-making and reform: Options for the process. Interpeace.
Brunner, J. (2008). Culture and mind: Their fruitful incommensurability. Ethos, 36(1), 29–45.
Butt, S., & Lindsey, T. (2012). The constitution of Indonesia: A contextual analysis. Hart Publishing.
Center for International Law. (n.d.). Professor Hasjim Djalal. https://cil.nus.edu.sg/profile/?user=hasjim.djalal
Choi, N. (2007). Elections, parties and elites in Indonesia’s local politics. Southeast Asia Research, 15(3), 325–354. https://doi.org/10.5367/000000007782717731
Council of Europe. (2014). Council of Europe. https://www.venice.coe.int
Dakolias, M. (2006). Are we there yet?: Measuring success of constitutional reform. Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, 39(4), 1117–1231.
Ellis, A. (2002). The Indonesian constitutional transition: Conservatism or fundamental change? Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law, 6, 1–38.
Ellis, A. (2005). Constitutional reform in Indonesia: A retrospective. IDEA.
Ellis, R., & Wildavsky, A. (1990). A cultural analysis of the role of abolitionists in the coming of the civil war. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 32(1), 89–116.
Elson, R. E. (2013). Two failed attempts to Islamize the Indonesian constitution. Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 28(3), 379–437.
Escribà-Folch, A., & Wright, J. (2015). Foreign aid and political reform. In Foreign pressure and the politics of autocratic survival (pp. 85–116). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198746997.001.0001
Geertz, C. (1972). Deep play: Notes on the Balinese cockfight. Daedalus, 101(1), 1–37.
Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of culture. Basic Books, Inc.
Geertz, C. (1983). Local knowledge: Further essays in interpretive anthropology. Basic Books, Inc.
Ghai, Y., & Galli, G. (2006). Constitution building processes and democratization. IDEA.
Gouda, F. (2008). Dutch culture overseas: Colonial practice in the Netherlands Indies, 1900–1942. Equinox Publishing.
Grad, F. P. (1967). Problems of drafting a constitution. Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science, 28(3), 201–214. https://doi.org/10.2307/1173163
Harijanti, S. D. (2016). Sri Soemantri. Padjajaran Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 3(1), 199–217.
Hasibuan, A. (n.d.). Pandangan terhadap perubahan UUD NKRI 1945 [A commentary on the constitutional amendment in Indonesia]. Komisi Konstitusi.
Hendrix, J. (1967). Castles made of sand. On Axis: Bold as love. Track records.
Hoffmann-Riem, W. (2014). The Venice Commission of the European Council: Standards and impact. European Journal of International Law, 25(2), 579–597.
Horowitz, D. (1994). The Qur’an and the common law: Islamic law reform and the theory of legal change. The American Journal of Comparative Law, 42(2), 233–293. https://doi.org/10.2307/840748
Horowitz, D. (2001). Ethnic groups in conflict. University of California Press.
Horowitz, D. (2002). Constitutional design: Proposals versus processes. In A. Reynolds (Ed.), The architecture of democracy: Constitutional design, conflict management, and democracy (pp. 15–36). Oxford University Press.
Horowitz, D. (2006). Constitution-making: A process filled with constraint. Review of Constitutional Studies/Revue d’études Constitutionnelles, 12(1), 1–17.
Horowitz, D. (2008). Conciliatory institutions and constitutional process in post conflict states. William & Mary Law Review, 49(4), 1213–1248.
Horowitz, D. (2013). Constitutional change and democracy in Indonesia. Cambridge University Press.
Hosen, N. (2002, May 29). Harga mati pembukaan UUD 1945 [The preamble of the 1945 Constitution is non-negotiable]. Media Indonesia, p. 6.
Indrayana, D. (n.d.). Urgensi Komisi Konstitusi [The urgency of [having] the Constitutional Commission]. http://perpustakaan.bappenas.go.id/lontar/file?file=digital/blob/F11093/Urgensi Komisi Konstitusi.htm
International IDEA. (2019). About us. https://www.idea.int/about-us
Interpeace. (2019). About us. https://www.interpeace.org/who-we-are/about-us/
Iskandar, P. (2011). Memahami hukum di Indonesia [Understanding law in Indonesia]. Institute for Migrant Rights Press.
Iskandar, P. (2016a). Constitutionalizing human rights universality in nonconstitutional legal system: Decoding human rights brouhaha in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of International and Comparative Law, 3(1), 1–42.
Iskandar, P. (2016b). The Pancasila delusion. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 46(4), 723–735. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2016.1195430
Iskandar, P. (2016c, September 5). It’s time to flesh out the reform agenda. The Jakarta Post, p. 7.
Iskandar, P. (2017). The unbound postcolonial leviathan. Asian Review, 30(2), 103—123.
Iskandar, P. (2018a, March 12). Resolving Indonesia’s religious freedom quandary. The Jakarta Post, p. 7.
Iskandar, P. (2018b, March 28). Dealing with antidemocratic voices. The Jakarta Post, p. 7.
Iskandar, P. (2018c, December 17). A democracy needs international law [Blog post]. Indonesian Journal of International and Comparative Law. https://www.ijil.org/blog/a-democracy-needs-international-law
Iskandar, P. (2019a). Religious constitutionalism: An interpretive reading. Indonesian Journal of International and Comparative Law, 6(1), 55–93.
Iskandar, P. (2019b). Unmasking corrosive democracy: A view from the pit. Indonesian Journal of International and Comparative Law, 6(2), 327–332.
Isra, S. (2001, November 6). Saatnya membentuk Komisi Konstitusi [It’s time to establish the Constitutional Commission]. Kompas, p. 6.
Jaca, G. B. (2016). “Consolidated” democracy?: Persistence of elite and money politics in the Philippines and Indonesia. In Proceedings of the DLSU Research Congress. De La Salle University.
Juliawanti, L. (2018, February 11). Ini enam peristiwa intoleran yang pernah terjadi di Indonesia [Six cases of religious intolerance in Indonesia]. IDN Times. https://www.idntimes.com/news/indonesia/linda/5-kejadian-penyerangan-rumah-ibadah-di-indonesia
Keesing, R.M. (1974). Theories of culture. Annual Review of Anthropology, 3(74), 73–97.
Keesing, R. M. (1987). Anthropology as an interpretive quest. Current Anthropology, 28(2), 161–176.
Lamb, K. (2017, November 16). A top Indonesian politician embroiled in a huge corruption case goes missing. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/16/top-indonesian-politician-corruption-case-missing
Lasser, M. (2003). The question of understanding. In P. Legrand & R. Munday (Eds.), Comparative legal studies: Traditions and transitions (pp. 197–239). Cambridge University Press.
Legrand, P. (2011). Foreign law: Understanding understanding. Journal of Comparative Law, 6(2) 67–177.
Levine, D. (2009). History and social structure in the study of contemporary Indonesia. In B. R. O. Anderson & A. Kahin (Eds.), Interpreting Indonesian politics: Thirteen contributions to the debate (pp. 57–72). Equinox Publishing.
Liddle, W. R. (Ed.). (2001). Menjauhi demokrasi kaum penjahat: Belajar dari kekeliruan negara-negara lain [Avoiding corrupt democracy: Learning from others’ failures]. Mizan Pustaka.
Liddle, W. R. (2007). Review of opposing Suharto: Compromise, resistance, and regime change in Indonesia. Indonesia, 83, 175–180.
Lindsey, T. (2002). Constitutional reform in Indonesia: Muddling towards democracy. Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law, 7(3), 699–713.
Lindsey, T., & Butt, S. (2013). Unfinished business: Law reform, governance, and the courts in Post- Suharto Indonesia. In M. Künkler & A. Stepan (Eds.), Democracy & Islam in Indonesia (pp. 168–186). Columbia University Press.
Lindsey, T., & Butt, S. (2018). Indonesian law. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199677740.001.0001
Merton, R. K. (1987). Three fragments from a sociologist’s notebooks: Establishing the phenomenon, specified ignorance, and strategic research materials. Annual Review of Sociology, 13(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.13.080187.000245
Mysbergh, J. H. (1957). The Indonesian elite. Far Eastern Survey, 26(3), 38–42.
Van Niel, R. (1960). The emergence of the modern Indonesian elite. W. Van Hoeve Ltd.
Norberg, N. (2018, December 22). A primer on Syria’s constitutional committee. Lawfare. https://www.lawfareblog.com/primer-syrias-constitutional-committee
Oktaviani, F., Rooney, D., McKenna, B., & Zacher, H. (2016). Family, feudalism and selfishness: Looking at Indonesian leadership through a wisdom lens. Leadership, 12(5), 538–563. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715015574319
Pieris, J. (2003). Pengkajian komprehensif tentang perubahan UUD 1945 [A comprehensive analysis of Indonesia’s constitutional amendment]. Komisi Konstitusi.
Pudjiarti, H. (2018, January 11). Hasjim Djalal dan jalan kaki [Hashim Djalal and pedestrianism]. Tempo.Co. https://hukum.tempo.co/read/1049270/hasjim-djalal-dan-jalan-kaki
Reed, I. A. (2011). Interpretation and social knowledge: On the use of theory in the human sciences. The University of Chicago Press.
Robinson, M. (1992). Aid and political reform. Overseas Development Institute. https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/6774.pdf
Rustow, D. A. (1966). The study of elites: Who’s who, when, and how. World Politics, 18(4), 690–717.
Sarwanto, A. (2017, July 28). Ketua MPR: Pancasila harga mati, tak bisa ditawar. CNN Indonesia. https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20170816104720-32-235092/ketua-mpr-pancasila-harga-mati-tak-bisa-ditawar
Segal, R.A. (1988). Interpreting and explaining religion: Geertz and Durkheim. Soundings: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 71(1), 29–52.
Sihaloho, M. J. (2017, August 16). MPR: Pancasila dan UUD 1945 adalah harga mati [MPR: Pancasila and UUD 1945 are nonnegotiable]. Berita Satu. https://www.beritasatu.com/nasional/447526/mpr-pancasila-dan-uud-1945-adalah-harga-mati
Suryokusumo, S. (n.d.). Bagaimana nasib “Komisi Konstitusi”? [Whatever happened to the Constitutional Commission]. Perpustakaan Bappenas.
Swedlow, B. (2011). A cultural theory of politics: Editor’s introduction: Cultural theory’s contributions to political science. PS: Political Science & Politics, 44(4), 703–710.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2018). Human rights and constitution making (HR/PUB/17/5). United Nations.
The United States Institute of Peace. (n.d.). About USIP. https://www.usip.org/about
Tomsa, D. (2015). Local politics and corruption in Indonesia’s outer islands. Bijdragen Tot de Taal-, Land- En Volkenkunde/Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia, 171(2–3), 196–219. https://doi.org/10.1163/22134379-17101005
United Nations. (2009). Guidance note of the Secretary-General: United Nations assistance to constitution-making processes. United Nations.
Upham, F. (2002). Mythmaking in the rule of law orthodoxy (Carnegie Endowment Working Papers 30). Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. https://carnegieendowment.org/2002/09/10/mythmaking-in-rule-of-law-orthodoxy-pub-1063
Vliet, M. van, Wahiu, W., & Magolowondo, A. (2012). Constitutional reform processes and political parties: Principles for practice. Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy.
Wargadiredja, A. T. (2017, April 4). Why are so many Indonesians obsessed with becoming civil servants? Vice. https://tinyurl.com/y7vurvq8
White, B. (2005). Between apologia and critical discourse: Agrarian transitions and scholarly engagement in Indonesia. In V. R. Hadiz & D. Dhakidae (Eds.), Social science and power in Indonesia (pp. 107–141). Equinox Publishing.
Widjojanto, B., Saldi, I., & Marwan, M. (Eds.). (2002). Konstitusi baru melalui Komisi Konstitusi independen [New constitution by an independent Constitutional Commission]. Pustaka Sinar Harapan.
Woods, N. (2005). The shifting politics of foreign aid. International Affairs, 81(2), 393–409.