Presidential candidacy

Presidential candidacy

From Jayakarta,

Based on my clippings I see that four ministers, two ulema organizations and two youth organizations have already expressed their determination to renominate the President as a candidate in the next election.

Some state leaders are of the opinion that such a move is legal and that the 1945 Constitution does not prohibit it. However, Article 6, paragraph 2 of Chapter III of the Constitution concerning the Authority of the National Government reads: "The President and Vice-President are elected by the People's Consultative Assembly through a majority of votes." Bearing this in mind, and the fact that we already have the mechanism to that effect, the statements of determination about the presidential candidacy are unethical. Moreover, the next presidential election is still two years away.

It is up to the people to decide if the statements of determination contradict the Constitution.

MAS SOEBANDI

Jakarta