The Journal of Human Rights

The Journal of Human Rights

The Indonesian Marriage Law: Battle for Constitutional Interpretation of Religious Freedom

Document Type : Research Article

Author
Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Sleman, Indonesia.
Abstract
This study discusses the Constitutional Court decisions on the constitutionality of the Law No. 1 Year 1974 on Marriage (Marriage Law) through several judicial review cases. The paper examines the polygamy, child born out of wedlock, and interfaith marriage case in understanding the reasoning behind controversial decisions made by the Constitutional Court. It is argued that from the cases, Islamic interests in the sense of incorporating Islamic law in the Indonesian legal system, were considered in the deliberation of the Court’s decisions even though the Court also took consideration from certain human rights values such as children’s and women’s rights in balancing both interests. In doing so, the Court is perceived to contribute to the construction of sophisticated authoritarianism or autocratic legalism by using a seemingly democratic and constitutional means to accomplish hidden agenda of autocracy.
Keywords
Subjects

Amiruddin, Mariana. “Maria Farida Indrati “UU Perkawinan Perlu Diuji Secara Konstitusional [Maria Farida Indrati: The Marriage Law Needs to Be Tested Constitutionally].” Jurnal Perempuan 73 (2012): 137–148. [in Indonesian]
Butt, Simon. “Islam, the State and the Constitutional Court in Indonesia.” Pacific Rim Law and Policy Journal 19, no. 2. (2010): 279-301.
Butt, Simon. “Illegitimate Children and Inheritance in Indonesia.” Sydney Law School Legal Studies Research Paper Series12, no. 12/63 (2012): 196-198.
Cammack, Mark, Lawrence A Young, and Tim Heaton. “Legislating Social Change in an Islamic Society: Indonesia’s Marriage Law.American Journal of Comparative Law 44, no. 1 (1996): 45-73.
Hutchinson, Terry, and Nigel James Duncan. “Defining and Describing What We Do: Doctrinal Legal Research.” Legal Education Digest 21., no. 3 (2012): 83-119.
Farouk, Yazir. “Alasan Keluarga Moerdiono Tolak Tes DNA [Reason Why Moerdiono’s Family Refuses DNA Test].” Tempo.co, March 13, 2013, https://seleb.tempo.co/read/466769/alasan-keluarga-moerdio
no-tolak-tes-dna
. [in Indonesian]
Imawan, Riswandha. “The Evolution of Political Party System in Indonesia: 1900 to 1987.” PhD Thesis, Northern Illinois University, 1989.
Laycock, Douglas. “Religious Freedom as Liberty.” Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues 7, no. 2 (1996): 313-356.
Hedi, Fathol, Abdul Ghofur, and Anshori Harun. “Legal Policy of Interfaith Marriage in Indonesia.” Hasanuddin Law Review 3, no. 3 (2017): 263-276.
Islamiyati. “Analisis Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Number 68/PUU-XII/2014 Kaitannya dengan Nikah Beda Agama Menurut Hukum Islam di Indonesia [Analysis of Constitutional Court Decision Number 68/PUU-XII/2014 in Relation to Interfaith Marriage According to Islamic Law in Indonesia].” Al-Ahkam 27, no. 2 (2017): 157-178. [in Indonesian]
Katz, June S, and Ronald S Katz. “The New Indonesian Marriage Law: A Mirror of Indonesia’s Political, Cultural, and Legal System.” American Journal of Comparative Law 23, no. 4 (1975): 653-681.
Khadduri, Majid. “Marriage in Islamic Law: The Modernist Viewpoints.” American Journal of Comparative Law 26, no 2 (1978): 213-218.
Kholis, Nur, Wahidullah Jumaiyah. “Poligami dan Ketidakadilan Gender dalam Undang-Undang Perkawinan di Indonesia [Polygamy and Gender Inequality in the Indonesian Marriage Law].” Al-Ahkam 27, no. 2 (2017): 195-212. [in Indonesian]
Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin. Konstitusi dan Hukum dalam Kontroversi Isu [Constitution and Law in the Controversy of Issues]. Jakarta: Rajawali Press, 2009. [in Indonesian]
Morgenbesser, Lee. The Rise of Sophisticated Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020.
Rifai, Ahmad, Ibnu Sodiq, and Abdul Muntholib. “Sejarah Undang-Undang Perkawinan Atas Pendapat Hingga Pertentangan dari Masyarakat dan Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Tahun 1973–1974 [The History of the Indonesian Marriage Law: From Opinions to Conflicts between Society and the House of Representatives, 1973–1974].” Journal of Indonesian History 4, no. 1 (2015): 1-9. [in Indonesian]
Rofii, Ahmad. “The Religiosity of the Indonesian Constitution.” Constitutional Review 7, no. 2 (2021): 140-203.
Sandberg, Russel. “Clarifying the Definition of Religion Under English Law: The Need for a Universal Definition.” Ecclesiastical Law Journal 20, no. 1 (2018): 132-157.
Scheppele, Kim Lane. “Autocratic Legalism.” University of Chicago Law Review 85, no. 2 (2018): 545-583.
Schiff, David N. “Socio-Legal Theory: Social Structure and Law.” The Modern Law Review 39, no. 3 (1976): 287-310.
Suhasti, Ermi, Siti Djazimah, and Hartini, “Polemics on Interfaith Marriage in Indonesia Between Rules and Practice” Al-Jamiah Journal of Islamic Studies 56, no. 2 (2018): 367-394.
Tiller, Emerson H, and Frank B Cross. “What is Legal Doctrine.” Northwestern Law Review 100, no. 1 (2006): 517-533.
Detik News. “MUI Nilai Keputusan MK Soal Status Anak di Luar Nikah Overdosis [The Indonesian Ulema Council (mui) Considers the Constitutional Court's Decision on the Status of Illegitimate Children an Overdose].” March 13, 2012, https://news.detik.com/
berita/d-1866192/mui-nilai-keputusan-mk-soal-status-anak-di-luar-nikah-overdosis
.
Indonesia, Supreme Court. Surat Edaran Mahkamah Agung (SEMA) Nomor 2 Tahun 2023 tentang Petunjuk Bagi Hakim dalam Mengadili Perkara Permohonan Pencatatan Perkawinan Antar-Umat yang Berbeda Agama dan Kepercayaan [Circular Letter of the Supreme Court Number 2 of 2023 concerning Guidelines for Judges in Adjudicating Applications for the Registration of Marriages between People of Different Religions and Beliefs]. Jakarta, July 17.
Law Library of Congress. Prohibition of Interfaith Marriage. Washington, D.C.: Law Library of Congress, 2015.
Indonesia, Constitutional Court, Judicial Review Number 1 of 1974 on Marriage, No. 12/ PUU-V/2007.
Indonesia, Constitutional Court, Judicial Review Number 1 of 1974 on Marriage, No. 46/ PUU-VIII/2010
Indonesia, Constitutional Court, Judicial Review Number 1 of 1974 on Marriage, No. 68/PUU-XII/2014.
Dutch East Indies. Staatsblad van Nederlandsch-Indië, Number 158 of 1898. Batavia (Jakarta): Landsdrukkerij, 1898.
 
Send comment about this article
Enter Name.
Enter a valid email address.
Enter a vaid affiliation.
Enter comments (At leaset 10 words)
CAPTCHA Image
Enter Security Code Correctly.