Indonesia’s Political System

The Indonesian Political System:

The Republic of Indonesia came into being in 1945, after a long period of Dutch colonial rule and
Japanese wartime occupation.

Indonesia's founding fathers established a central form of government (or unitary state), in
order to unify the people of many ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds spread across
thousands of islands.

Five years after independence, Indonesia followed a system of federal government under the
'United Republic of Indonesia' for seven months (29 December 1949- 17 August 1950), however
it then returned to the 'Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia', based on the 1945
constitution.

Indonesia's highest political institution is an elected People's Consultative Assembly (MPR),

which convenes every 5 years to approve the broad outlines of state policy. The President of
Indonesia - who occupies the position of head of state and head of government - is responsible
to the MPR.

Since the end of the New Order era (1966-1998), Indonesian governments have faced pressure
from the provincial regions for a less centralised system of government. The concept of regional
autonomy has now been offered as a way of decentralising power.

The 1945 Constitution:

The Constitution in Indonesia is the "1945 Constitution". It regulates the position and
responsibilities of state officials, their authorities, tasks and relations between state institutions
(legislative, executive and judicial). The 1945 Constitution also regulates the rights and
responsibilities of citizens.

The legislative institutions consist of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), and a House of
Representatives (DPR).

The executive contains the President, who carries out his/her tasks with the assistance of a Vice
President and Cabinet. Governments at provincial level are headed by a governor, and at
regency/municipal level headed by a regent or mayor.

The judicature consist of the Supreme Court, the highest judicial institution, along with other
lower legal bodies.

The 1945 Constitution is currently in the process of being amended. This constitutional revision
will encompass fundamental changes to the tasks and relations between state institutions.

The People's Consultative Assembly:

The key function of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), being the highest state
institution, is to promulgate the constitution, to appoint or dismiss the president and vice
president, and to decide the guidelines of state policy (GBHN).

The role of the MPR may change depending on the amendments made to the 1945 Constitution,
which are currently under way. There are 700 members of the MPR, consisting of 500 members
of the House of Representatives plus 200 non-elected members representing various popular
groupings and the provinces. They serve a five year term.

The House of Representatives:

The House of Representatives is the institution, which oversees the direction of the government,
and, along with the government, drafts regulations and laws.

Its 500 members are elected through a general election, held once every five years.
The President/Vice President:

The President of the Republic of Indonesia executes governmental administration. According to

the 1945 Constitution, a Vice-President assists the President. In the Indonesian political system,
the President is the Head of State at the same time as being the Head of Government. In this
latter capacity, the President occupies a position that is equal to that of other high-level state
institutions (including the DPR and Supreme Court).

The President also carries out the mandate of the MPR, including executing the guidelines of
state policy, and appoints ministers and heads of non-ministerial institutions with the level of a
ministry (the Armed Forces, Police and Attorney General) who assist in the execution of these
tasks.

The 1945 Constitution (the version prior to amendments) states that the President and Vice
President are appointed by the MPR in accordance with majority vote. The President and Vice
President are appointed for a period of five years, after which there must be a new election.

Supreme Court:

The Supreme Court is the judicial arm of the State and exists beside the legislative and the
executive branches. It was not until 1968 that the restructuring of the Supreme Court was
completed to meet the conditions set out in the 1945 Constitution, i.e. to be free from
government intervention in the exercise of justice.

Other High Level Institutions:

Other high level institutions include the State Audit Board (BPK) and the Supreme Advisory
Council (DPA).

The principal function of the State Audit Board is to inspect the government's finances. The
findings of the State Audit Board are reported to the People's Legislative Assembly - the body
that approves the estimated State Income and Expenditure.

The Supreme Advisory Council functions to provide advice for the President upon request, on
matters related to political, economic, socio-cultural and military issues. It also might provide
advice, suggestions or recommendations on matters related to the interests of the state.

Members of the Supreme Advisory Council are nominated by the People's Legislative Assembly
and appointed by the President for a period of service of five years. There are 45 members of
the Supreme Advisory Council.

Regional Government:

There are 30 provinces and 354 regencies in Indonesia. A governor heads a province, while the
regency or municipal level of government is headed by a regent or mayor.

Since the promulgation of Law Number 22/1999 on Regional Autonomy on 1 January 2001, the
authority of the regency in managing the region has been strengthened, and relations between
the provincial government and the regency government are more co-ordinated.

Relations between the legislative, executive and judicial bodies on the provincial and
regency/municipal levels take a similar pattern of that on the national level. For example, the
provincial House of Representatives (DPRD Tingkat I) monitors government administration in
the province. It also drafts provincial regulations together with the governor. The judicature
consists of high courts and regional courts.