{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1114229,
        "msgid": "interpreting-the-constitution-1447893297",
        "date": "2001-04-06 00:00:00",
        "title": "Interpreting the Constitution",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Interpreting the Constitution What makes it legitimate for Mega (Megawati Soekarnoputri) and Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid) to retain power is the Constitution. If Gus Dur performs well the Constitution permits him to remain in power until 2004. And if Mega should be called upon to replace Gus Dur in the middle of his term, what would make that legitimate is once again the Constitution and nothing else. Unfortunately, this most basic principle is currently under threat.",
        "content": "<p>Interpreting the Constitution<\/p>\n<p>What makes it legitimate for Mega (Megawati Soekarnoputri) and<br>\nGus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid) to retain power is the Constitution.<br>\nIf Gus Dur performs well the Constitution permits him to remain<br>\nin power until 2004. And if Mega should be called upon to replace<br>\nGus Dur in the middle of his term, what would make that<br>\nlegitimate is once again the Constitution and nothing else.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, this most basic principle is currently under<br>\nthreat. It appears that various groups are looking for<br>\nalternative foundations to base their political calculations. NU<br>\n(Nahdlatul Ulama) seems to be trying to find different channels<br>\nto support Gus Dur&apos;s hold on power, whose legitimacy is<br>\nthreatened by a second memorandum in parliament. NU appears to be<br>\nexploring a new interpretation of the term &quot;conspiring to<br>\noverthrow the government&quot;, despite the fact that this is already<br>\ncomprehensively defined in the Constitution.<\/p>\n<p>We fear that if Megawati should ever find herself in a<br>\ndifficult position, her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle<br>\nwill also develop its own arguments and interpretations to defend<br>\nher. If House of Representatives speaker, Akbar Tanjung and<br>\nPeople&apos;s Consultative Assembly chairman, Amien Rais should follow<br>\ntheir example, we must ask ourselves: what basic accord is there<br>\nto support our existence as a nation and a state?<\/p>\n<p>It would be most unfortunate if we can never agree on who or<br>\nwhat governs our life as a nation.<\/p>\n<p>-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/interpreting-the-constitution-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}