Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Bambang Soesatyo made an earnest appeal to everyone to practice patience and cease discourses on postponement of the general election or extension of the president’s term of office.
Soesatyo deemed these steps as necessary, so that all could fully divert their focus on efforts to support economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Joko Widodo stated that all stages and schedules for both the general and local elections had been set to be conducted on February 14, 2024.
“Thus, there is no need for speculations among members of the public regarding efforts to postpone the election, extending the president’s term of office, or increasing the presidential term of office to three terms,” he explained.
During the plenary session of cabinet at the State Palace on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, President Joko Widodo had also made it amply clear to his ministers to steer clear from discussing postponement of the election and extension of the presidential term of office.
As per a political point of view, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, which promoted President Jokowi and won the 2019 General Election, was also on the same boat, he noted.
Even if there were groups that were keen to propose amendments to the Constitution, they had to follow the mechanisms and procedures as regulated in Article 37 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.
It would take more than just a day or two and a select few groups to change the Constitution, Soesatyo stated.
It takes a solid political consensus from political parties as well as the Regional Representative Council members. The People’s Consultative Assembly, as the people’s representative institution, with the authority to amend and stipulate the Constitution, always follows the law in accordance with Article 1, paragraph 3 of the Constitution.
The assembly could not initiate changes to the Constitution on its own, he stated. However, it must respond to the proposed amendments that have been submitted by its members, who had met the requirements, both the administrative and substantial aspects.
Those were as regulated in Article 37 of the 1945 Constitution and Articles 101 to Article 109 of the People’s Consultative Assembly Regulation Number 1 of 2019 concerning the Order of the People’s Consultative Assembly.
In principle, at least one-third of the total assembly members must submit proposals for amendments, which must be written, and point clearly at the section proposed for amendment and the reasons for the changes.
The proposal cannot be changed, replaced, and/or withdrawn after 3×24 hours since its submission to the assembly’s leaders. Within a maximum period of 30 days, the leaders would hold a meeting with the factions and leadership of the Regional Representative Council to examine the proposed amendment.
He affirmed that during the People’s Consultative Assembly’s plenary session, at least three steps would be taken, with the first being explanation of the proposal and its reasons for amendments by the proposer followed by the Regional Representative Council and factions’ response by providing a general view of the proposed change.
The last pertains to the formation of an ad-hoc committee to review the proposal within the agreed time limit. During the next People’s Consultative Assembly’s plenary session, in which least two-third of the assembly’s members participate, the ad-hoc committee will showcase the results of the study. Thereafter, the Regional Representative Council and factions would respond to the study’s results.
He stated that amendment of the Constitution was done, with at least 50 percent plus one member approving the changes. The figure would total up to 357 members, he explained.
Should it fail to meet the minimum requirements to be approved, it would be rejected, and the proposal could not be resubmitted during the same membership period.
Source: Antara News