DPR Welcomes Public Support for MK's Regional Election Law Decision
- Antara
Jakarta, VIVA –Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Puan Maharani has welcomed people's aspirations to defend the Constitutional Court's (MK) decision on the Regional Election Law.
"The House of Representatives examines various views on the Constitutional Court's decision regarding the Regional Election Law, and expresses gratitude for the aspirations of all elements of society: students, professors, activists, and celebrities," she said in a statement released in Jakarta on Thursday, as quoted from Antara site.
Maharani emphasized that the power of the DPR comes from the people so the House will always uphold the people's mandate in carrying out its functions and authorities.
Ketua DPR RI Puan Maharani.
- Istimewa
"Let us continue to work for an advanced, prosperous, and civilized Indonesia," she said.
As a democratic country, she added, Indonesia will always welcome the aspirations of every element of society, including to carry out the function of social control.
"As a state institution, the functions and authorities of the DPR are regulated by law so that it can carry out the sovereignty of the people democratically," she stated.
Meanwhile, as a political institution, the DPR is also greatly influenced by developments in Indonesia's political arena.
However, she noted, the DPR, as a state institution as well as a political institution, will continue to prioritize the interests of the state - as mandated by the Constitution.
"Respecting the authority of state institutions, and continuing to pay attention to all political developments and aspirations of the people," she added.
On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court ruled that the threshold for nominating candidates for regional head and deputy regional head posts should be solely based on votes gained in regional elections instead of seats in regional parliaments.
The verdict effectively overrides Article 40(1) of the Law on Regional Leaders' Election, which requires parties to either gain 25 percent of the vote share or 20 percent of the regional parliaments' seats to nominate candidates.
On the same day, the court also declared that the age threshold for regional head candidates - 30 years for governors and 25 years for district heads and mayors - should be counted from the day of their registration.
However, the parliament's Legislative Body and the government on Wednesday approved revisions to the Law on Regional Leaders' Election for ratification at a plenary session. The revision only partly adhered to the Constitutional Court ruling.
The parliament's action sparked public uproar, which culminated in demonstrations in several cities throughout the country.
The protest in Jakarta was centered at the Parliament Complex, where thousands of students and members of the public gathered.
Due to a lack of quorum, a plenary session to ratify the revisions of the Law on Regional Leaders' Election, planned on Thursday morning, was called off.
