By: Moch. Irfandi)*
President Joko Widodo signed the Law on the Implementation of the General Election. Jokowi signed the draft Act on Wednesday (08/16/2017) ago.
“The Election Law has been enacted on August 16,” said Special Staff of the President of Communication for Johan Budi. Johan said the law is registered in state institutions as Law No. 7 of 2017.
The Election Law was ratified in a plenary session of the House of Representatives on July 21. The endorsement was marked from Gerindra Party Faction, Democratic Party Faction, Prosperous Justice Party Faction, and National Mandate Party Faction.
The four parties rejected the terms of the presidential or presidential threshold nominations proposed by the government.
In addition, there are also parties who claimed to conduct a judicial review of the Election Law to the Constitutional Court, because they feel their political rights impaired.
Those who have submitted material tests include UN General Chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Chairman of Idaman Rhoma Irama Party. Both are admitted to being harmed by the Election Law, because they want to advance as a presidential candidate and hampered the Election Law.
There had been pressure from a number of parties to immediately sign Jokowi Election Law which has been passed by the House.
Because, if not signed by the president and enacted, then the lawsuit filed by a number of parties to the law to the Constitutional Court cannot be processed.
Deputy for Election and Democracy Association (Perludem) Khairunnisa Nur Agustyati fears that longer legal process will disrupt the stages, affecting the quality of elections in 2019. So he urged the president to immediately give the number, because the potential lawsuit to the Constitutional Court already exists. The longer the process will be retreat.
Previously, Commissioner of the General Election Commission (KPU) Ilham Saputra deplored the return of the draft of the Election Law from the government to the DPR due to errors in it. According to Ilham, it will disrupt the stage of election implementation that was originally started in the middle of this month.
Ilham said, currently KPU continues to compile PKPU. Several PKPU drafts have been submitted to the DPR for discussion. With the restoration of the draft of the Election Law by the government to the House of Representatives, the stages of election will take additional time for the Election Law to be enacted. This has created obstacles for the KPU to formulate PKPU.
Considering the various urges regarding the passage of the Election Law, it is proper that the rules be endorsed and supported to create more eligible, qualified election and produce qualified country leaders.
)* The author is CIDISS Contributor