Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at Special Plenary Session of the Annual Report of the Supreme Court, from the State Palace (through video conference), February 22, 2022

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Good Morning,
May prosperity be upon us,
Om Swastiastu,
Namo Buddhaya,
Greetings of virtue.

Distinguished Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia,
Distinguished Chief Justice, Vice Chief Justice, and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court,
Distinguished Heads and Members of the Government Institutions,
Distinguished Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of friendly countries,                                                                                    Your Excellencies Ambassadors and Representatives of friendly countries,
Distinguished Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Government would like to extend its appreciation and gratitude to the Supreme Court for its hard work in accelerating the development of modern courts and transforming conventional justice system to a more modern one to promote transformation of law in Indonesia.

The transformation is an important stage in providing better judicial services for the people seeking justice. Faster and easier judicial services, which are simple, low-cost and professional, as well as fair law enforcement, are important.

Distinguished Supreme Court Justices and Distinguished Guests,

The spirit of transformation in the Supreme Court is in line with the spirit of transformation of Indonesia the Government has carried out.

The Government is currently overseeing several important transformations, namely improving equity so that our development is more Indonesia-centric, expanding downstream industries so that the value added of Indonesia’s natural resources benefit the people more, supporting MSMEs to advance through digitalization, promoting green economy that is healthier and more beneficial for the people, accelerating the transition to new and renewable energy, and strengthening blue economy so that our maritime wealth can be sustainable and benefit the people.

We are also carrying out transformation in the legal sector through structural reforms, deregulation, and de-bureaucratization in order to improve legal certainty and ease of doing business, attract as many investments as possible, ensure investment security, expand employment opportunities, increase the nation’s competitiveness, and eradicate corruption.

Distinguished Supreme Court Justices and Distinguished Guests,

It is impossible for the Government to carry out all the transformation agendas alone.

The Government needs full support from all stakeholders of the nation.

The Government needs full support from legislative and judicial institutions.

The Government needs support from the Supreme Court, High Courts, and District Courts across Indonesia.

The role of the Supreme Court as the guardian of justice is strategic in supporting the transformation of Indonesia by producing landmark decisions that provide fair legal certainty for the communities, provide fair legal certainty for business players and investors, protect state assets and public assets, as well as create a deterrent effect for corruptors and mafias that destroy the justice.

In addition, alternative models of case settlement need to be applied to reduce the burden on the courts by prioritizing mediation as an alternative to civil dispute resolution, promoting restorative justice for criminal cases and promoting dialogue involving perpetrators, victims, and related parties in a professional, transparent and accountable manner so that fair law enforcement can be achieved.

We hope the Supreme Court will continue to make strategic efforts in reducing legal obstacles in accelerating economic development, including through accelerating the handling of civil cases through a simple lawsuit mechanism, encouraging consistency of decisions, and reforming the implementation of decisions.

We also hope the Supreme Court will remain consistent in strengthening access to justice for vulnerable groups, namely women, children, and persons with disabilities through strengthening service regulations and access for persons with disabilities in every aspect of the court services.

We fervently believe that effective law enforcement measures taken by the Supreme Court will contribute to prosperity and social stability, strengthen the democratic system, and speed up the transformation towards the advanced Indonesia that we aspire to.

That concludes my remarks.
I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(RI/EP)