Untimely Amendments

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

President Joko Widodo and MPR Chairman Bambang Soesatyo after the MPR leadership meeting with the president at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (16/10/2019).

Democracy is identic with brouhaha, including in this country. The issue of the amendment to the Constitution has again sparked brouhaha because it is not the right time.

The discourse on amending the Constitution reemerged following a statement by the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Chairman Bambang Soesatyo. As quoted by Kompas (15/3/2022), Bambang asked that the construction of the capital city of Nusantara continued after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo ended his term of office on 20 October 2024. To ensure this, the MPR is currently drafting the State Policy Guidelines (PPHN) that guarantee the sustained development of the nation's capital. Consequently, limited amendments to the constitution are necessary.

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Chairman of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) La Nyalla Mattalitti supported the idea of amending the constitution to strengthen the role of the DPD and restore the constitutional rights of the council. But the idea of the PPHN is an old issue. The DPD's demand to increase its authority has also long been voiced. Now there is also the issue of postponing the 2024 general election and extending the term of office of President Jokowi. The Indonesian Solidarity Party, which has no seats in the House of Representatives, has proposed three periods for the presidential term.

People close to President Jokowi, such as Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan, have also voiced their aspirations for a postponement of the 14 February 2024 election.

At the grassroots level, either vaguely or clearly, the aspirations for postponing the election have been voiced by three political parties: general chairperson of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar, general chairperson of Golkar Airlangga Hartarto and chairperson of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan. People close to President Jokowi, such as Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan, have also voiced their aspirations for a postponement of the 14 February 2024 election.

The dynamics on the lower side indicatev that there is something that moves citizen groups to extend the term of office of the President. In politics, nothing is a coincidence. President Jokowi gave a normative response: obey and respect the Constitution. Yet proposals to amend the Constitution are considered part of democracy.

BPMI SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN

President Joko Widodo delivered a state speech at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council in Senayan, Jakarta, Friday (14/8/2020).

Rejection of proposed constitutional amendments emerged in the MPR. Deputy chairperson of the MPR from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) fraction Ahmad Basarah said amendments to the Constitution should not be made now. Similar opinions were conveyed by deputy chairperson of the MPR from the United Development Party (PPP) faction, Arsul Sani and deputy chairperson of the MPR from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction, Hidayat Nur Wahid.

Constitutional amendments are not appropriate at this time. In a situation where the elements of the nation are full of mutual suspicion, the step to enact the constitutional amendment is not wise. Amid the current buying and selling practices in politics, constitutional amendments can become a wild ball. The proposed articles on the amendments to the constitution have the potential to be exchanged with articles that can destabilize the foundations of the state.

It is unfortunate for the great nation that will welcome a century of the Republic of Indonesia in 2045 to be still lacking in statesmen who think about the fate of the nation. This nation is still dominated by power-hungry politicians whose thoughts may only be how to extend and increase power. Instead of spending energy on amendments, would it not be better to deal with the cooking oil crisis?

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo).