PKP Indonesia Protests To Increase The Parliamentary Threshold By 7 Percent

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKP) protested over the proposed parliamentary threshold through the revision of Law Number 7 of 2007 concerning Elections.

In the revised draft, it is stated that the threshold is increased gradually, namely 7 percent for the national, 4 percent for the province and 3 percent for the city districts.

"PKP Indonesia will firmly reject the formula for changing the threshold above and even ask that the existing threshold figure be lowered," said PKP Indonesia Secretary General Keke Parawansa in an electronic message received by VOI, Thursday, January 28.

According to Keke, the goal of lowering the threshold is to respect a sense of just democracy and maintain unity within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

PKP Indonesia, said Keke, was very worried that if the 7 percent threshold was implemented it would increase the number of abstentions because their political aspirations would stall.

"For this reason, PKP Indonesia sincerely hopes that the discussion of the Election Bill concerning these changes can be postponed or reviewed, while hearing the responses, input, suggestions or voice of the people nationally," he said.