Umrah, MK Judge Anwar Usman Did not Attend the Opening of the 2026 Session

JAKARTA - Constitutional Justice Anwar Usman did not attend a special plenary session with the agenda of delivering the 2025 annual report and opening the 2026 Constitutional Court session because he was on the umrah pilgrimage.

Anwar Usman is the only constitutional judge who did not attend the hearing held in the MK Plenary Session Room, Jakarta, Wednesday.

The other eight constitutional judges, namely Suhartoyo, Saldi Isra, Arief Hidayat, M. Guntur Hamzah, Daniel Yusmic, Ridwan Mansyur, Enny Nurbaningsih, and Arsul Sani were present.

"He is performing the umrah. So, there is no problem at all," said Constitutional Court Chairman Suhartoyo at a press conference after the special plenary session, reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 7.

Although he did not attend the special plenary session earlier this year, Suhartoyo believes Anwar Usman has known the contents of the trial.

"Because this is not a new thing that was conveyed in the opening session of the trial and the annual report for the previous year, they already know what the crucial things are that were conveyed in the opening session. They must already know him," he said.

In the special session, the Court explained the performance of the institution in the past year. This is the implementation of Article 13 of Law Number 24 of 2003 concerning the Constitutional Court which requires the Court to submit periodic reports to the public.

The trial was held in person and online. A number of state officials were present in person, such as Chief Justice Sunarto, Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas.

Also present were the Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai, KPU Chairman Mochammad Afifuddin, Bawaslu Chairman Rachmat Bagja, Chairman of the Honorary Assembly of the MK I Dewa Gede Palguna, and ambassadors from friendly countries.

In his speech, Suhartoyo said that 2025 was a year full of dynamics and challenges, as well as a period with high case intensity.

"The many petitions and cases handled, especially disputes over the results of general elections, regional heads, and testing of laws, show that the Constitutional Court continues to be at the heart of Indonesian democracy and statehood," he said.

Therefore, he considers the role and position of the Constitutional Court to be very fundamental and strategic.

However, Suhartoyo admitted that the Constitutional Court did not play a role alone in realizing constitutional supremacy in Indonesia.

"The executive, legislative, and judicial institutions collaborate and combine in harmony to realize legal order and social justice for all Indonesian people. The three branches of power work together to carry out their respective duties and responsibilities in maintaining the principle of check and balances," he said.