Scholars agree to idea of presidential term limitation

JAKARTA (JP): More scholars are coming forward to support the notion of limiting a president's tenure to a maximum of ten years, but on the condition that the discussion be held after incumbent President Soeharto is no longer in power.

Moslem scholar Abdurrahman Wahid said the idea of a presidential term limitation was not politically taboo, but should be entertained in the post-Soeharto era. Legal expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra agreed and said separately that discussions on the issue would only be possible when the country had a different president.

"There will be no problem if Soeharto is reelected. But what will happen when his era ends? Nobody (seems) to be able to maintain power the way (he) does," said Abdurrahman, who is known for his controversial stance on many political issues.

"Therefore, a president's term in office should not last too long," he said.

"It's necessary to limit a presidential term to 10 years after President Soeharto's era," Yusril said.

The two observers were commenting on Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo's recent suggestion that Indonesia limit a president's tenure to 10 years in the post- Soeharto era after 2003.

The 1,000-strong People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) convenes every five years to draw up the Broad Guidelines of State Policies and to elect a president and vice president.

Abdurrahman, who is also chairman of the 30-million strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, said the notion, however, has to be translated by introducing changes to the 1945 Constitution first.

"We'll have to amend the constitution because it does not give any limit to a president's term," said Abdurrahman, who is fondly known as Gus Dur.

He called for the establishment of laws on the presidential term.

Yusril, who is a constitutional law expert at the University of Indonesia, suggested that the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) take initiative in discussing the term limitation.

"One day, if the people and MPR consider it necessary to limit the presidential term, they can discuss the issue at an MPR forum," he said.

However, he said that the suggested limitation to the presidential term should not be treated as an absolute condition.

"Who knows when Indonesia may have an outstanding figure, who is accepted by the people and has a clean record of conduct, in which case we may need to extend his term of office," he said.

Separately, political observer of Diponegoro University in Semarang, Novel Ali, shared Abdurrahman's point of view.

Novel said a term limitation should be imposed through a law. "The public cannot (just impose a limitation like that)," he said. "We need to have a law on the presidential term and authority."

Shortly after Siswono's suggestion was aired, discussion on the issue became rampant and peaked with Soeharto himself stepping into the debate. He said last week that people arguing about the issue should just look to the 1945 Constitution as the answer was already delineated there.

The 1945 Constitution says a president and vice president are elected for a five-year term and can be reelected. (imn/har)