MP: KPK exceeds authority on political party leader term limits

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of the House of Representatives Commission II, Muhammad Khozin, assessed that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has exceeded its authority after recommending regulations to limit the leadership of political party general chairmen to a maximum of two terms of office. “The proposal is ahistorical, legally unfounded, and exceeds the KPK’s authority,” said the DPR commission member handling elections and political parties, in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday. He further explained that the KPK’s proposal is ahistorical because the Constitutional Court, through Decision Number 194/PUU-XXIII/2025, previously rejected a request for term limits on political party general chairmen. In addition, he considered the KPK’s view on term limits for party general chairmen and its connection to cadre development to be inaccurate. According to him, cadre development in political parties continues dynamically, even without term limits for party general chairmen. Finally, he reminded the KPK that Law Number 2 of 2011 on Political Parties should be interpreted as a manifestation of citizens’ freedom of association. “Internal regulations of political parties are left to each political party, emphasising the principle of deliberation and outlined in the AD/ART (articles of association and bylaws) of each political party,” he said. Previously, the KPK explained that the proposal for regulating term limits for political party general chairmen to a maximum of two terms of office was conveyed as part of corruption prevention. The KPK’s proposal was submitted in the context of corruption prevention, in line with findings that political party cadre development is not running well, leading to entry costs for individuals to become party cadres and be endorsed in general elections. To support effective cadre development, the KPK proposed dividing party members into young, intermediate, and senior cadres. In addition, there was a KPK proposal that candidates for DPR members should be senior party cadres, while candidates for Provincial DPRD members should be intermediate cadres. To support improvements in cadre development, the KPK also proposed regulations on term limits for political party general chairmen up to a maximum of two terms of office. The proposal is contained in a study on political party governance conducted by the KPK’s Monitoring Directorate.