Appreciating the Government’s Rejection of the Proposed Extension of the President’s Term

By: Made Raditya )*

There are some community groups who want President Jokowi to serve for three terms. However, this proposal was rejected by the Government and even the President did not want it to happen.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has rejected the discourse of extending the presidential term to three terms. However, the decision may change if there is pressure from the community.
The Main Expert Staff of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Ade Irfan Pulungan said that the context must be able to distinguish whether the three-term positions are the massive will of the people or the wishes of Jokowi.
However, Irfan stated that later the authority of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) from political parties to examine the community’s pressure.
The reason is that the amendments to the 1945 constitution were actually carried out in the reform era due to massive public pressure.
So that it returns to the MPR which absorbs these aspirations, just like for example during the reform era where there were changes to the articles of the constitution which were amended at the insistence or encouragement of very strong support from the people.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the MPR Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet) said that his party had met with President Jokowi and discussed the amendment to the 1945 Constitution. According to Bamsoet, at that time Jokowi stated that the president’s term of office was two terms.
The meeting took place when the MPR leaders visited the Palace to deliver the invitation to the presidential inauguration. According to him, Jokowi gave the MPR an opportunity to absorb the aspirations of the people related to the amendments to the 1945 Constitution.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of the United Development Party (PPP) Arsul Sani stated that the discourse on the three-term presidential office would not apply to political parties or parliament.
Arsul reminded that the issue of the president for three terms has deliberately misled him. So that can’t happen. Moreover, Jokowi himself has emphasized that those selling the issue are people who are looking for face.
Likewise, the leaders of parties, including Megawati, who rejected the proposal for a three-term presidential position.
Arsul said that PPP’s attitude would remain obedient to the 1945 Constitution amendments which state that the president’s term of office is two terms. So far, PPP has adhered to the constitution, with a two-term presidential term.
The Chairperson of the PDIP and former President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarno Putri, said that it was precisely those who spoke about the issue of the three-term position who had the will.
He stated that the allegations were baseless. This is because the term of office of the president is regulated in the constitution and by law. According to him, the president cannot simply change the contents of the 1945 Constitution.
Megawati also asked her cadres who sit in executive and legislative positions not to waste her time while in office. He asked the cadres to work for the people, not because of power.
Previously, the former deputy chairman of the Gerindra Party DPP Arief Poyuono proposed an amendment to the 1945 Constitution to change the president’s term of office to three terms.
The proposal is aimed at enabling President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Indonesia’s sixth president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to nominate again in the upcoming 2024 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections (Pilpres).
In addition, Amien Rais also briefly accused the Jokowi regime of efforts to encourage the Special Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly to approve amendments to one or two articles in the 1945 Constitution. Amien Rais suspects that the changes will include extending the terms of office of the president and vice president.
On a different occasion, former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) Jimly Asshidiqie expressed his disagreement with the idea. According to him, Indonesia does not need an extension of the presidential term. Even if there is an idea regarding a limited amendment to the Constitution, then do not relate it to the issue of a three-term presidential term.
This constitutional law expert also reminded the public not to be provoked by the discourse. This is a bad idea in all respects and is only rolled out as a trap. Where the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia does not require an extension of the term of office at all.
We already know that the government and the supporting parties have unitedly rejected the presidency for up to three terms. Of course, this commotion does not need to continue, because there are still big problems to be faced.
)* The author is a contributor to the Press Circle and Cikini Students