DPR Commission II: Written Consultation For KPU Requests To Change PKPU For The 2024 Pilkada Not Lazim

Member of Commission II of the DPR Guspardi Gaus highlighted the plan of the General Election Commission (KPU) to amend KPU Regulation (PKPU) by asking for written approval from Commission II of the DPR, following the decision of the Supreme Court (MA) Number 23 P/HUM/2024 regarding new interpretations of the age limit for regional head candidates in the 2024 Pilkada.

According to Guspardi, the request for a written consultation regarding changes to the PKPU after the Supreme Court's decision was unusual.

"The letter sent by the KPU to ask for a written consultation with the legislators regarding the PKPU draft to follow up on the Supreme Court's decision is unusual and also not in accordance with the mechanisms that are usually carried out," Guspardi told reporters, Friday, June 21.

Guspardi emphasized that the discussion of the PKPU draft should be carried out directly through the Hearing Meeting forum (RDP) between Commission II and the KPU and the government. Because he said, in the RDP everything took place openly.

"And all members have the same opportunity to explore, criticize, and provide input and views on the improvement of PKPU," he said.

The legislator from West Sumatra also assessed that without being discussed in the RDP together with the legislators of the law, the PKPU draft prepared by the KPU would raise various perceptions and suspicions from the public. Meanwhile, the stages of registration for prospective regional head candidates who will fight in the 2024 Pilkada contestation are still about 2 months away.

"So there is still a lot of time to discuss this PKPU draft in the RDP forum. Moreover, only 1 (one) article will be changed, it feels like one meeting can also be completed," said Guspardi.

Guspardi then compared when he was going to change the PKPU regarding the age limit for the nomination of the President and Vice President, the KPU continued to ask for a direct consultation meeting with the legislators.

"Even though the time lag between the Constitutional Court's decision and the nomination period is very short. Meanwhile, the time lag is still quite long," said Guspardi.

Therefore, Guspardi hopes that the KPU will immediately send a letter to Commission II of the DPR RI to schedule a consultation meeting in the RDP forum to discuss changes to the PKPU which will be used as a rule in the 2024 Pilkada.

If the consultation is carried out in writing, Guspardi reminded, it shows the inconsistency of the KPU in carrying out the mechanism for changing PKPU and running away from the mechanisms that are usually carried out.

"Then it will also raise issues related to the flow of communication by eliminating dialogue between Commission II, KPU, and the government. In fact, two-way and open communication between all parties is a very important parameter to eliminate public assumptions and suspicions that the KPU has been carried by the interests of certain groups," concluded the member of the Legislative Council of the Republic of Indonesia.

Previously, the Coordinator of the Technical Division for the Idham Holik KPU Election, said that the Indonesian KPU hoped that the legislators could immediately provide answers to the written consultations that had been submitted.

The reason is that in early July his party scheduled the socialization of regional head candidacy with a changed PKPU.