'Amend discriminative Article 6'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A group of Chinese Indonesians have urged the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to amend Article 6 of the
\n1945 Constitution on presidential nominations, which they claimed
\nwas discriminative.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Association of Chinese Indonesian Families
\ntold the Assembly's ad hoc I committee for constitutional
\namendment on Friday the Constitution was restrictive in that it
\nrequired the president to be an Indonesian native.<\/p>\n
"To erase the image that the ruling is discriminative and
\nracist, the requirement should be abolished," Tedy said.<\/p>\n
He said the association instead proposed that an Indonesian
\npresident be a citizen and the presidential nomination be
\nregulated by a law.<\/p>\n
Citizens who are eligible for the presidency must be born in
\nIndonesia from parents who are both Indonesian citizens by birth,
\nnot because of naturalization, according to Tedy.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the ad hoc committee Jacob Tobing said it was
\nlikely the Assembly would agree to stipulate that "the president
\nis an Indonesian native citizen".<\/p>\n
An Indonesian native citizen is one who is born here,
\naccording to Jacob.<\/p>\n
He said the Assembly would suggest that the law on the
\npresidency stipulate that the president should have been living
\nin Indonesia for a certain number of years to assure that he or
\nshe had knowledge of the country.<\/p>\n
Tedy also suggested that the term "Tionghoa people" be used
\nnationwide to replace "Chinese Indonesian". Former president B.J.
\nHabibie already proposed the use of Tionghoa to differ Chinese
\nIndonesians from Chinese overseas.<\/p>\n
On Confucianism, Tedy asked the government not to acknowledge
\nit as one of official religions, but to leave the matter to its
\nfollowers.<\/p>\n
"There are hundreds of sects that practice Confucianism, and
\nthey all will seek the government's recognition. Let the people
\nhandle it, as far it does not violate the law and morals," he
\nadded. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/amend-discriminative-article-6-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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