Sri Soemantri: A Key Constitutional Player

The young Soemantri came from a remote spot in East Java to make history for himself in the middle of the last century. He was involved in the heated debates that took place in the Constitutional Assembly.

These days, as an intellectual, along with several colleagues he is still endeavoring to put the Constitution into order so that it can become the soul of the nation in coming centuries.

Speaking with Widiarsi Agustina from Tempo, he spoke about how different the political disagreements were during the era of the Constitutional Assembly compared with the current era of reform. Throughout the discussion with Tempo, not once did he have to refer to notes to recall dates or names. He is far from senile. “The secret lies in the three b’s: prayer (berzikir), thought (berpikir) and love (bercinta),” he said.