In Addition to Limiting Party Leader Terms, KPK Also Proposes Candidates for President Must Be Cadres

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has proposed several improvements to political party governance in a report released by its Monitoring Directorate on Friday (17 April). In addition to proposing a limit of two terms for the general chairman position, the KPK also suggests requirements for nominating presidential, vice-presidential, and regional head candidates to come from cadres or those who have gone through the party’s cadre system. The KPK proposes revising Article 29 of Law No. 2 of 2011 on Political Parties, which regulates this matter. “Requirements for prospective presidential/vice-presidential/regional head/deputy regional head candidates, in addition to being democratic and open, add a clause originating from the party’s cadre system,” as quoted from the report summary on Thursday (23 April). To this end, the KPK requests the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) to develop standards for the party cadre system with political financing assistance (Banpol). Furthermore, through revisions to the Political Parties Law, the KPK also recommends party levels or tiers starting from youth, intermediate, to primary. These tier levels will later serve as requirements for nominating cadres in elections for both legislative and executive positions. For example, youth cadres can only run at the regency/city DPRD level, intermediate at the provincial DPRD level, and primary at the national DPR RI level. There will also be a minimum membership duration before one can be nominated. “Requirements for cadres becoming prospective DPR/DPRD candidates are clearly stated and tiered in the law under Article 29 paragraph (1a). For example: DPR candidates come from primary cadres, provincial DPRD candidates from intermediate cadres.” “Adding a requirement for the minimum time joined in the party to be nominated by the party.”