Mahfud MD Amien Rais Answered About The 3-period Presidential Position: Don't Drag The Government

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD asked the founder of the Ummat Party, Amien Rais to not drag the government over allegations of adding a presidential term.

Mahfud said that the discussion area for the additional presidential term belongs to the political parties and the MPR.

"Don't drag it to the cabinet. That matter, the discussions go to the MPR and the political parties," Mahfud told reporters in Jakarta, Monday, March 15.

He also emphasized that the government has never had any plans to increase the term of office of the president. Moreover, the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) said that President Joko Widodo has denied this.

"The government does not have a discourse about (adding to the term of office of the president, red) wants it three times, four times, five times. We (refer to, ed) the current constitution," said Mahfud.

"For Pak Jokowi, whom I hear and my brother, I think he has a digital footprint, (once stated, red) if there are people who encourage Pak Jokowi to become president again, said Pak Jokowi, there are two reasons. One wants to plunge, two want to lick. right, said Pak Jokowi, "he added.

As previously reported, through his YouTube account, former MPR Chair Amien Rais revealed that the Jokowi administration had attempted to control high state institutions and this was considered dangerous.

In the video he uploaded, Amien also suspected that the Jokowi regime would push the MPR session to make changes to the two articles. One of them is changing the term of office of the president.

"So they will take the first step asking the MPR Special Session, which may be one or two articles, he said, needs to be corrected. Which, I also don't know, but later a new article will be offered which then gives the right that the president can be elected three times," he said as quoted. from the video uploaded on the Amien Rais Official account.

"If this is really their wish, then I think we can immediately say inalillahi wa inalillahirojiun," he added.

Regarding this accusation, the Speaker of the MPR, Bambang Soesatyo, has spoken. He said his institution would not change the rules to extend the term of office of the president-vice president to three terms. Bamsoet emphasized that there has been no discussion regarding changes to the 1945 Constitution.

"As an institution that has the authority to change and stipulate the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, the MPR has never conducted any discussions to change Article 7 of the 1945 NRI Constitution," said Bamsoet in his statement, Monday, March 15.

According to him, the election for a maximum term of two terms has been carried out with a variety of careful considerations, just like democracy in the United States.

Moreover, said Bamsoet, President Joko Widodo had long ago emphasized that he did not intend either personally or from government circles to question the 3 periods.

"The maximum two-term limitation is carried out so that Indonesia can avoid an indefinite presidential term, as has happened in the past. As well as ensuring the regeneration of national leadership can be carried out properly. So that the leadership baton can run continuously. It does not stop at one person only," he explained.

The former chairman of the DPR reminded the public to be aware of the issue of extending the presidential term to three terms. Do not let, he said, the issue be fried into a matter of national strife and division.

"Political stability that is well preserved, which is the key to successful development, should not be disturbed by propaganda and agitation for the extension of the presidency," said the senior Golkar politician.