Jakarta Charter

The Jakarta Charter (in Indonesian Piagam Jakarta ) was the result of a compromise between nationalists and Muslims about the basis of a future Indonesian state , established by a “nine-member committee” ( Panitia Sembilan ) and approved on 22 June 1945. This “Committee of Nine” was established by the BPUPKI ( Badan Penyelidik Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia , “Committee for the Investigation of the Efforts to Prepare Independence of Indonesia”, in Japanese Dokuritsu Junbi Chosakai , founded on 29 April 1945 by Lieutenant-General Keimakichi Harada,commander of the 16^e Japanese Army in Java).

The Jakarta Charter contained five points (which would become the Pancasila , the five basic principles of the Indonesian state):

1. Belief in God, with the obligation for Muslims to observe shariah
2. Right and civilized humanism
3. Unit of Indonesia
4. Democracy led by a spirit of wisdom in representative deliberation
5. Social justice for all Indonesian people.

At the time of drafting the constitution by a second session of BPUPKI, the Charter was included as a preamble.

The Jakarta Charter was signed by Soekarno , Hatta , Alexander Andries Maramis, Abikoesno Tjokrosoejoso, Abdulkahar Muzakir, Agus Salim , Achmad Subardjo, Wahid Hasjim and Muhammad Yamin.

At the time of the validation of the constitution on August 18, 1945 by the PPKI ( Panitia Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia or “Preparatory Committee for the Independence of Indonesia”, founded August 7, 1945 as successor of BPUPKI), the term “preamble “was replaced by that of” openness “, after the first principle had been changed simply to” Belief in One God “. The famous “seven words” (” tujuh kata “): ” dengan kewajiban menjalankan syiat Islam bagi pemeluknya “, “with the obligation for Muslims to observe the shariah” had been removed.

The Indonesian constitution thus no longer included any reference to Islam. The removal of the reference to Islam in first point had been made by Hatta ¹ on the proposal of AA Maramis, after consultation with Teuku Muhammad Hassan, Kasman Singodimedjo and Ki Bagus Hadikoesoemo.