DPR Fulfills Constitutional Court Decision, PKS Legislator Says Pilkada Will Be More Democratic

JAKARTA - The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) appreciates the steps taken by Commission II of the DPR which officially approved the draft revision of KPU Regulation (PKPU) Number 8 of 2024 concerning the nomination of regional head of the 2024 Pilkada which is in accordance with the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Member of Commission II of the DPR from the PKS faction, Mardani Ali Sera, assessed that this new regulation could make the 2024 Pilkada more democratic and transparent.

"With the latest PKPU Number 8, the threshold (mining the nomination limit) will decrease, this will make the implementation of the Pilkada more democratic. The DPR has proven its commitment to hearing the aspirations of the people and prioritizing the interests of the people," said DPR Commission II member Mardani Ali Sera to reporters, Monday, August 26.

Mardani stated that the PKPU regulation referring to the Constitutional Court's decision could provide opportunities for political parties to propose cadres to contest the Pilkada.

"In addition, voters can also be smart because it is possible to become a cross-cutting voters or joint voters of candidate supporters," continued the legislator for the DKI Jakarta I electoral district.

Mardani also said that PKPU Number 8 of 2024 which had been adjusted to the Constitutional Court's decision could also weaken the practice of money politics. Given the current phenomenon, it increases public participation in the implementation of the Pilkada.

"We hope that the practice of political money can be suppressed because currently voters are more mature," said Mardani.

"It's time for the merit system to appear, quality above the contents of the bag (money politics)," he added.

As is known, the PKPU regarding the Pilkada was revised as a follow-up to the Constitutional Court's decision which changed the nomination threshold for regional heads through Decision Number 60/PUU-XXII/2024. The Constitutional Court decided that the threshold for nomination of regional heads would no longer be 25 percent of the votes acquired by political parties or coalitions of political parties resulting from the previous DPRD Pileg, or 20 percent of the DPRD seats.

In its decision, the Constitutional Court stated that the threshold for nomination of regional heads by political parties is equivalent to the threshold for nominating regional heads from independent/non-party/individual channels.

In addition, the Constitutional Court emphasized that the requirements for the age of the regional head candidates were calculated since the KPU determined the person concerned as a candidate for regional head, not during the inauguration as decided by the Supreme Court (MA).

The DPR Baleg was about to revise the Pilkada Law following the Supreme Court which contradicted the Constitutional Court's decision but caused a major public reaction. Various demonstrations were held in Jakarta and various regions, including in front of the DPR RI Building last weekend.

On the aspirations of the community and because Baleg's decision was considered contrary to the constitution, the DPR finally decided to cancel revising the Pilkada Law and firmly accommodated the final and binding Constitutional Court's decision.

Commission II of the DPR also immediately held a hearing (RDP) with the KPU and approved the changes to the PKPU regarding the Pilkada to accommodate the Constitutional Court's decision.