Direct presidential election urged by MPR experts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A team of experts from the People's Consultative
\nAssembly proposed on Thursday constitutional amendments that
\nincluded a direct presidential election.<\/p>\n
The team, comprising 13 scholars of law and political science,
\ntold a hearing with the assembly ad hoc committee that the
\npresident and vice president must come from the same camp and
\ncontest the top executive posts as a duet.<\/p>\n
\"We stipulate in article 6a of our draft that there will be
\nonly two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates
\nwho will contest the direct election. The two pairs represent the
\ntop two political parties or coalition of parties that win the
\nmost House seats,\" Maswadi Rauf, the team's spokesman told the
\nhearing.<\/p>\n
To win the presidency, a candidate needs a simple majority of
\nthe vote, and collects at least 20 percent of the vote in at
\nleast two-thirds of the constituencies, the team proposed.<\/p>\n
The team set terms for presidential and vice presidential
\ncandidates, who must be Indonesian citizens by birth with good
\nphysical and mental health, no less than 40 years old of age and
\nwith no criminal record.<\/p>\n
Altogether, the team proposed amendments to 13 articles of the
\n1945 Constitution concerning legal and political affairs.<\/p>\n
The draft proposed that general elections be conducted to
\nelect members of the House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional
\nRepresentative Council (DPD) and the provincial council,
\npresident, vice president and heads of regional administrations.<\/p>\n
The proposed presidential election system will reduce the
\nMPR's role to only appointing the president and vice president in
\ncase of a vacancy.<\/p>\n
However, the MPR will maintain its authority to dismiss the
\npresident and vice president, the draft said.<\/p>\n
The proposal also stipulates an impeachment mechanism and
\nrequirements needed to dismiss the president or vice president,
\nalong with a mechanism to fill in the vacant post(s).<\/p>\n
Since 1999, the Assembly had amended 30 articles of the 1945
\nConstitution, but none of the changes had touched the general
\nelection issue.<\/p>\n
Separately, academics grouped under the Habibie Center threw
\ntheir weight behind the direct presidential election, saying that
\nit would accommodate people's aspirations and at the same time
\nestablish a strong and legitimate president and people's
\nrepresentative.<\/p>\n
\"A direct election will increase the degree of popular trust,
\nalthough there is no guarantee that it can maintain the
\nlegitimacy of a leader,\" the center's spokesman Doddy Yudhista
\nsaid in a statement.<\/p>\n
The center further underlined the need to make significant
\nchanges to the Constitution, rather than just revising political
\nlaws.<\/p>\n
\"Changing the election system in the Constitution will be the
\nbest way to minimize the weaknesses of the current political
\nsystem,\" Doddy said.<\/p>\n
The center suggested that the country should apply the
\ndistrict system for the 2004 general election, saying that the
\nsystem would ensure people's participation and representation and
\naccountable legislators.<\/p>\n
\"The district system will lead to the bicameral legislative
\nsystem. Apart from direct presidential election, we badly need a
\nstrong and accountable legislature that can effectively control
\nthe president,\" he said.(dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/direct-presidential-election-urged-by-mpr-experts-1447893297",
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