On Monday, November 13, 2023 in the plenary courtroom, the Constitutional Court (MK) held a special plenary session for the inauguration of Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo as chief justice of the Constitutional Court for 2023–2028. The session was chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra.

Based on the provision of Article 21 paragraph (3) of the Constitutional Court Law, before taking office, the chief justice shall take an oath or make a pledge according to their religion before all constitutional justices. Therefore, Chief Justice Suhartoyo took his oath witnessed by the other constitutional justices.

“By God, I swear that I will fulfill my obligations of chief justice of the Constitutional Court to the best of my abilities and in the fairest of manners, uphold the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and strictly observe all laws and regulations as prescribed by the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and to devote myself to the country and to the people,” he swore the other constitutional justices and guests from other agencies, such as the chairman of the KPU (General Elections Commission), the vice chairman of the Judicial Commission, and the chairman of the Constitutional Court Ethics Council (MKMK).

After the swearing-in, he chaired the plenary session. In his remarks, the new chief justice said that in 2023, the Court turned twenty. It continued to face even greater challenges in guarding democracy and the Constitution. After a crisis not long ago, he said, he and the other eight constitutional justices will strive to regain public trust, especially ahead of the resolution of 2024 general election results disputes (PHPU).

Chief Justice Suhartoyo also said that, along with public demand, the Court would expedite the establishment of a permanent ethics council. It will also open even greater access for the public to give their constructive criticism as public participation to strengthen Indonesia’s democracy. The 1945 Constitution has given the Court constitutional guarantee of independence. Therefore, he urged all citizens to help maintain the Court’s independence by not intervening the independence of the justices and the institution.

“I humbly appeal to the public to give their full support to the Constitutional Court so that [it] can immediately stand up and work faster to restore public trust, even though it is not easy. To my colleagues, let us rebuild the synergy and togetherness in our work. There are still public demands that need to be achieved and fulfilled together to improve the quality of decisions,” he said.