RI needs law on presidency

SEMARANG, Central Java: A senior politician reiterated his demand yesterday that Indonesia should have a law regulating the presidency.

Legislator Sabam Sirait of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said that the absence of law on the presidency has given rise to differences, such as how many times a president can be re-elected.

He said that the PDI first proposed a law be introduced in 1973 but did not have the support of other political organizations in the House of Representatives.

The 1945 Constitution gives only guidelines on the presidency. For instance it states that the Indonesian president is elected for a five-year term and can be re-elected, but it is unclear how many times.

"We definitely need a law specifying the constitution. It's not taboo to revise the constitution," he said. He added that open debate on the presidency is virtually taboo at present. (har)