Mahfud MD: No Need To Predict The Constitutional Court's Decision On The Age Limit For Presidential And Vice Presidential Candidates

DOK ANTARA

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said there was no need to predict the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) regarding the judicial review of Article 169 letter q of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections related to the minimum age limit for presidential candidates (candidates) and vice presidential candidates (cawapres) which will be read out on Monday (16/10).

"This one is not trying to predict, but hopes for the best for this country," said Mahfud when met at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Thursday, October 12. Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs invited the public to wait for the Constitutional Court's decision and not have much prejudice.

"Yes, we'll just wait for the verdict. 'You don't know or you can't talk about something that hasn't been decided by the Constitutional Court. We'll just have to wait, yes, the Constitutional Court's decision. 'It's on Monday (16/10)," he said.

The decision on the judicial review at the Constitutional Court, said Mahfud, would definitely be followed up by political parties participating in the 2024 General Election.

"Four days ago, whatever the decision is, of course, political parties will follow up. We'll just wait for Monday, don't rush it. There's no need for a lot of prejudice against the Constitutional Court," he said.

Mahfud assessed that there is no need to make predictions about decisions because the prediction based on public concerns does not necessarily occur. In fact, it could be a prediction related to the Constitutional Court's decision that has already triggered a commotion in the social order.

"Maybe we will predict it later, then it's wrong again like before. Yes, right? There are those who predict things like this, it turns out that the Constitutional Court is okay, then all predictions are wrong. In fact, the people are too noisy," said Mahfud. MK previously announced that they would read out the judicial review decision Article 169 letter q of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections (UU Elections) related to the minimum age limit of presidential and vice presidential candidates on Monday, October 16, 2023. Applicants for judicial review of the Election Law regarding the age limit of the presidential/cawapres consist of a number of parties, ranging from politicians and political parties, lawyers, regional heads, to students. Political parties that file a lawsuit on the minimum age requirements for presidential/vice presidential candidates are the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) and the Garuda Party. In Case Number 29/PUU-XI/2023, the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) in its petitum asks for the age limit of the presidential/cawapres to be changed to 35 years.

In Case Number 51/PUU-XXI/2023 with Garuda Party Chairperson Ahmad Ridha Sabana and Garuda Party DPP Secretary General Yohanna Murtika, the applicant puts the phrase on the article being tested for material to be "lowest 40 years old or experienced as regional head/deputy regional head". based on a schedule set by the Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU), registration for presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs from 19 October to 25 November 2023.