Indonesian Constitution Day is a national holiday in Indonesia celebrated on August 18 every year. It commemorates the adoption of the Indonesian Constitution on August 18, 1945, at the meeting of the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence.
The Constitution is Indonesia’s supreme law and sets out the basic principles of the country’s government, including its political system, economic system, and social order. Constitution Day is a day for Indonesians to honor their democracy and reaffirm their commitment to constitutional principles.
The day is marked by many events, including patriotic speeches, parades and cultural performances. This is an important event in Indonesian history and will definitely make Constitution Day even more special for the people of Indonesia.
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Who is the founder of the Indonesian Constitution?
The Indonesian constitution was established by a group of Indonesian nationalists and intellectuals who met in Jakarta in the months before the country gained independence in 1945.
In 1942, Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies and defeated the Dutch colonial regime. They occupied the territory during the Second World War. The Japanese divided the territory into three military administration areas: Sumatra, Java and East Indonesia.
As Japan’s military position became increasingly untenable, it began to appoint more and more native Indonesians to official positions in the occupation administration. On 1 March 1945, the Japanese 16th Army established the Investigation Committee for the Preparation for Independence (BPUPK) in Java.
The 25th Army then established BPUPK for Sumatra. No such organization existed in the rest of the East Indies. BPUPK in Java consisted of 62 members at its inception, but had 68 members in its second session. It is chaired by Radjiman Wedyodingrat.
Future President Sukarno and Vice President Mohammad Hatta were among its members. The BPUPK meets in the building once used by almost the Dutch colonial parliament, the Volksraad, in central Jakarta. It was held in two sessions, from May 29 to June 1 and from July 10 to 17, 1945.
The first session discussed general issues, including the state’s philosophy for Pancasila, future independent Indonesia. Sukarno outlined this philosophy in his June 1 speech.
During the break between the two BPUPK sessions, a Committee of Nine (Panitia Sembilan) consisting of Sukarno, Hatta, Yamin, Maramis, Soebardjo, Wahid Hasjim, Muzakkir, Agus Salim and Abikoesno improved Sukarno’s Pancasila into open speech. foreshadowing the future constitution.
This later became known as the Jakarta Charter. It is a compromise document that covers the Muslim’s obligation to follow Sharia (Islamic law).
During the second session that opened on July 10, a 19-member committee came up with an interim constitution. They are:
- Sukarno
- Maramis
- Puruboyo
- Oto Iskandar di Nata
- Agus Salim
- Achmad Soebardjo
- soepomo
- Maria Ulfah Santoso
- Wahid Hasjim
- Parada Harahap
- Johannes Latuharhary
- Susanto Tirtoprodjo
- Sartono
- Wongsonegoro
- Wuryaningrat
- Singgih
- Tan Anh Hoa
- Jayadiningrat
- Soekiman Wirjosandjojo
The draft Constitution includes 37 articles, 4 provisional articles and 2 additional articles. The nation will be a united nation and republic. On July 26, 1945, the Allies called on Japan to surrender unconditionally in the Potsdam Declaration.
The Japanese authorities, realizing that they would likely lose the war, began to firmly plan for Indonesian independence, intended to irritate the Dutch more than anything else.
On August 6, an atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. On August 7, the headquarters of the Southern Expeditionary Force announced that an Indonesian leader could form an agency called the Committee for the Preparation of Indonesian Independence (PPKI).
The drop of the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria on 9 August led to Japan’s unconditional surrender on 15 August 1945.
Sukarno and Hatta declared their independence on August 17, 1945, and the PPKI met the next day to declare the Constitution of Indonesia on August 18, 1945.
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Source: pagasa.edu.vn