The President Respects The Constitutional Court-DPR Decision Regarding The New Threshold For The 2024 Pilkada

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that he respects the decisions of the Constitutional Court (MK) and the DPR regarding the terms of regional head candidates.

"We respect the authority and decisions of each state institution," said President Jokowi in a press statement monitored from the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 21, which was confiscated by Antara.

According to the President, this is a constitutional process that usually occurs in state institutions that we have.

Previously, Tuesday (20/8), the Constitutional Court decided two crucial decisions related to the nomination stages of regional heads, namely Decision Number 60/PUU/XXII/2024 and Number 70/PUU-XXII/2024.

Decision Number 60/PUU/XXII/2024 changes the threshold for nominating political parties or coalitions of political parties to nominate pairs of candidates for regional heads and candidates for deputy regional heads.

Meanwhile, Decision Number 70/PUU-XXII/2024 confirms that the minimum age limit for regional head candidates is calculated since the appointment of candidate pairs by the General Elections Commission (KPU). The decision invalidated the interpretation of the Supreme Court's previous decision which stated that the age limit was calculated since the elected candidate pair was sworn in.

Meanwhile, the Legislation Body of the DPR RI accommodates some of the decisions of the Constitutional Court which amend the provisions of the election nomination threshold by imposing it only for non-parliament parties or not having seats in the DPRD.

This is regulated in the problem inventory list (DIM) of Article 40 of the Draft Law on the Election of Regional Heads (RUU Pilkada).

"This is actually adopting the Constitutional Court's decision to accommodate non-parliamentary parties in the regions. So, you can also register with the KPU, you couldn't before," said Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives Baleg Achmad Baidowi or Awiek who chaired the meeting at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday 21 August.

Parties that have seats in the DPRD, he said, will continue to follow the old rules, namely a minimum of 20 percent of the DPRD's seat acquisition or 25 percent of the valid votes.

Meanwhile, regarding the minimum age limit for regional head candidates, the Legislative Council of the Republic of Indonesia has agreed on a list of problem inventory (DIM) for the revision of the Regional Head Election Law (RUU Pilkada) regarding the minimum age limit for regional head candidates to run for regional elections, referring to the decision of the Supreme Court which has been calculated since the inauguration.

"Agreed, yes, referring to the decision of the Supreme Court, yes? Continue?" asked Awiek while chairing a meeting of the Working Committee (Panja) for the Pilkada Bill.

The DIM formula number 72 which was approved by the Panja for the Pilkada Bill reads: "d. the lowest age is 30 years for candidates for governor and deputy governor, as well as 25 years for candidates for regent and deputy regent as well as candidates for mayor and deputy mayor since the inauguration of the elected pair".