Military and police voting rights<\/p>\n
Law Lo. 3\/1999 on general elections stipulates that military
\nmembers do not have voting rights or a right to be elected. The
\npresent bill stipulates otherwise.<\/p>\n
The problem is whether allowing a member of the military or
\nthe police to became a legislator is tantamount to pulling the
\nmilitary and police closer to the political arena. The most
\nfeasible way would be to have them first leave the military or
\npolice service.<\/p>\n
The exercising of voting rights could be a stronger reason to
\nabolish representation of the military and the police in the
\nlegislature. But, then, the problem is whether by exercising
\ntheir voting rights would loosen the bond between a soldier and
\nhis commander.<\/p>\n
In a number of countries, military personnel have voting
\nrights. However, this is applicable in countries where the
\nmilitary has kept a very great distance from politics.<\/p>\n
Politicians surely think that a stipulation of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly is a political decision and is therefore
\namendable. Hence fears may be justified of military and police
\nmembers being led into political adventures.<\/p>\n
Signs of this are clear through the vying of politicians to be
\nthe first to support this government-proposed bill.<\/p>\n
-- Koran Tempo, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-and-police-voting-rights-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }