Luhut-Cak Imin Discourse On Postponing Elections, Observer: This Could Be A Crime For Democracy

JAKARTA - The discourse on postponing the election is heating up after the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated that he has big data on the aspirations of the people who are not interested in the 2024 General Election. The Imin-Luhut duet in singing the discourse on postponing the election is considered by some to be a danger to democracy. This is because the law clearly states that the president and deputy are elected once every five years. Political observer and Executive Director of Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO) Dedi Kurnia Syah assessed that not only endangering democracy, Imin and Luhut also threatened the constitution. The reason is, the function of the constitution is to limit power so that there is no arbitrariness by state leaders. "Endangering democracy is limited to a point of view, what is clear is that they threaten the constitution to function as it should," said Dedi to VOI, Wednesday, March 16.

"The constitution is actually to limit power so that it is not arbitrary and protracted," he continued.

Even if the attempt to postpone the election is successful, continued Dedi, with the amendment, it would have to change many things. Later, he said, the constitution would change its function from limiting power to being an accommodator of the authorities. "If then the constitution accommodates so that it can be changed so that the interests of Luhut and the group for postponing the election can occur, the constitution can no longer be a limiter of power but an accommodator of power, that is wrong," said Dedi. If this is the case, according to him, the discourse of postponing the election could lead to a crime against democracy.

"This means that this discourse could have a criminal tone for democracy as well as for our constitution," he said.

Because Dedi added, postponing the election is not only a problem but will also have an impact on many things. Including changes in power schemes without elections and also a transition period for power or political elites in the parliament, both at the regional and provincial levels. "So it can change not only one thing but change many things. the quality of the constitution, of course, will be damaged," he said.