India: PDIP surprised by DPR considering review of provincial election law after MK verdict: Trying to play with the people

Jakarta –

The Deputy Chairman of the DPR RI Legislative Group (Baleg) Achmad Baidowi (Awiek) said that a meeting will be held tomorrow with the government and DPD regarding the review of the law (UU). Regional elections. The Chairman of the PDIP DPP for the Reform of the National Legal System, Ronny Talapessy, admitted that he was surprised that the meeting was taking place because the Constitutional Court (MK) had closure regarding threshold requirements for Pilkada 2024.

“Yes, let’s see, how suddenly there is a Pilkada Bill. In this case, there is not one. Even though it was confirmed at the Constitutional Court. How suddenly there’s a Pilkada Bill,” said Ronny in surprise. at the PDIP DPP, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (20/8/2024).

Ronny said that the meeting was going to be on Wednesday (21/8). He admitted that he was concerned that the meeting would be used to play with people’s sovereignty.

“I received information that there was a legislative council meeting regarding the review of the regional election law on August 21 and a working committee meeting for the Regional Election Bill on the same day at 1pm and 7pm. For the decision meeting on the Regional Election Bill,” said Ronny.

“We must say here that no one should try to play with the sovereignty of the people,” he said.

He reminded that the latest decisions of the Constitutional Court regarding the Pilkada application, namely decisions number 70 and 60, are final and binding. Therefore, according to him, all parties must appreciate and respect the decision.

“What the Constitutional Court has decided, through decisions 60 and 70, we must respect it and honor it. Because here the sovereignty of the people is confirmed by the decision of the Constitutional Court, in this case we are protecting the existing democracy,” he said. Rony.

On the other hand, Ronny asked the public to participate in monitoring the DPR Baleg meeting. According to him, the people must take action if there are inappropriate efforts.

“We see that it is very clear that the decisions of 60 and 70 are clear that it regulates the threshold of 7.5 percent, so that we can make our own Jakarta. with the KPU,” explained Ronny .

“In this case, if the Regional Election Bill is aimed at this, in my opinion, the people must act. Friends of the media, please protect everything and we invite everyone to protect the democracy we love,” he concluded.

DPR Baleg meeting tomorrow regarding the Review of Regional Electoral Law

The Deputy Chairman of the DPR RI Legislation Group (Baleg) Achmad Baidowi (Awiek) said that a meeting will be held tomorrow with the government and DPD regarding the revision of the Pilkada Law (UU). One of the topics that will be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting relates to the decision of the Constitutional Court (Constitution) regarding the appointment of a governor and deputy governor.

“That’s right, God willing (at 10.00 WIB),” Awiek told reporters, Tuesday (20/8/2024). Awiek answered questions about Baleg’s schedule of meetings with the Government and DPR.

Awiek said the Regional Election Bill was a proposal from the DPR. The government has responded to the proposed review, but negotiations have been halted due to the Constitutional Court’s decision.

“First, the Regional Election Bill was an initiative proposal from the DPR, and it was sent to the government before the presidential decree was issued, and then the government compliance was responding to the proposal of the DPR. And at the same time there was a decision by the Constitutional Court, so that everything was included, the most important thing was how to accept the decision of the Basic Court -statutory,” he said.

Awiek said that there would be a discussion at the meeting tomorrow on the decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the conditions for nomination for governor and deputy governor.

“We will talk about it later, yesterday when this bill was proposed to bring forward the schedule of regional elections it did not proceed because there was a lawsuit that was rejected by the Constitutional Court so the schedule was still 27 November, well at the same time. When there was a MK decision regarding Article 40 of the Provincial Electoral Law, that is what happened then “which will be part of the material in the debate tomorrow,” he said.

So will tomorrow’s meeting also discuss the Government Regulation instead of the Pilkada Law (Perppu Pilkada)? Awiek said the Perppu is the authority of the president.

“I don’t know about the Perppu. Because that is the president’s authority,” he said.

The decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the regional elections

Before that, the Constitutional Court granted part of the lawsuit brought by the Labor Party and the Gelora Party against the Regional Electoral Law. The Constitutional Court said that parties or a combination of political parties participating in the elections can nominate regional head candidates even if they do not have DPRD seats.

The decision on case number 60/PUU-XXII/2024 submitted by the Labor Party and the Gelora Party was read out in a hearing at the Constitutional Court building, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (20/8 ). In its considerations, the Constitutional Court declared Article 40 paragraph (3) of the Regional Election Law unconstitutional.

The MK said that the meaning of this article was the same as the definition in Article 59 paragraph (1) of Law 32/2004 previously declared unconstitutional by the MK. The Constitutional Court said that lawmakers had instead reinserted standards declared unconstitutional into the articles of the Regional Electoral Law.

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