Indigenous candidates

Indigenous candidates

From Media Indonesia

The heated debate over candidates running for president and
vice president in the drafting of the presidential election bill,
such as the arguments for and against the inclusion of
educational levels and the exclusion of convicted felons, is
normal. This maneuvering still carries positive weight,
particularly in the framework of ensuring the quality of the
would-be president and vice president.

This political manipulation, leading to bargaining and
involving short-term gains, can be quickly solved through dialogs
and even compromises. Meanwhile, a matter of greater importance,
requiring profound discussion, concerns the elimination of the
word "indigenous" from Article 6 of the 1945 Constitution,
resulting from its third amendment.

The campaign to remove this word was initiated by some groups
at the House of Representatives and non-governmental
organizations influenced by foreign elements, for reasons of
equal rights and antidiscriminatory treatment. The exclusion of
the word has raised fear among Indonesians who long for national
leaders with a proper identity, legitimacy and legality: Born in
Indonesia, becoming an Indonesian citizen and devoting most of
their lives to the nation and the state.

In order to avoid ambiguity in the debate over making this
article a reference to determine the criteria for candidacy, the
government should clearly define the words "indigenous Indonesian
citizen" in the presidential election bill. It should be defined,
for instance, whether the word "indigenous" applies to Indonesian
citizens who belong to the third generation with no blood
relatives in their country of origin.

ANDI SEPTIAN
Bekasi, West Java