The Almost Impossible Discourse Of Extending The President's Office

JAKARTA - The discourse on adding a presidential term has warmed up in the public. The discourse was sticking out along with the limited amendment plan of the 1945 Constitution, only about reviving the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN).

The PDI Perjuangan is the one who wants to revive the GBHN the most, while the one who is discussing about tenure is the NasDem Party. The party led by Surya Paloh wants the presidential term to be three terms.

Secretary of the NasDem Party Faction DPR Saan Mustofa said that this discourse was a proposal from their grassroots after asking for an evaluation of the 2019 Election which unified the presidential and legislative elections. However, this proposal is still in the stage of input from the public, not the party's official stance.

"So for example, if we have a good president who is great, it turns out that for example the program has not been completed. Suddenly the term of office ends, right? , Tuesday, November 26.

PDI Perjuangan as the party fighting for limited amendments to the 1945 Constitution, does not agree with the NasdDem Party's proposal. PDI-P (PDI-P) Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto emphasized that his party only wanted a limited amendment to the 1945 Constitution and did not discuss the matter of changing the presidential term. Hasto assessed that the two or ten year presidential term is still ideal.

Furthermore, Chairman of the DPP PDIP, Djarot Saiful Hidayat, said that the discourse on adding a presidential term would have the potential to return Indonesia to the New Order era, when the country was led by Second President Suharto.

"In my opinion, it is dangerous, yes. Come back later like Pak Harto (Soeharto)," said Djarot, adding that the proposal for an additional presidential term had never been discussed in the MPR working forum.

"The MPR only wants to present the main points of the state's policies, there are none," added the Head of the MPR Review Board.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly Arsul Sani (PPP) added that the discussion on the arrangement of the presidential system that is currently being carried out at the MPR, did not discuss the discourse on adding a presidential term at all.

The PPP Secretary General added that his party and the nine political party factions in the MPR, in fact, did not agree with the addition of the presidential term. They continue to support the system that has been running so far, in which the president is elected for a maximum of two terms, with a length of tenure of five years.

Deputy Chairman of the MPR, Syarief Hasan (Partai Demokrat), confirmed Arsul's statement that there was no discussion about the addition of this presidential term. For his party, two times five years is the maximum duration of the term of office of the President of Indonesia.

Vice Chairman of the MPR, Zulkifli Hasan (PAN), too. PAN, he said, remains as the initial commitment, namely discussing recommendations for limited amendments to the 1945 Constitution without any additions. "(Amendments) are limited, it's already a point," said the Chairman of PAN.

Deputy Chairman of the MPR Jazilul Fawaid (PKB) added that so far the discussion of the amendments to the 1945 Constitution is only for GBHN. He explained that the faction did not agree if the amendments to the 1945 Constitution also changed the term of office and position of the president.

Furthermore, a number of political parties rejected the proposal for an additional term of office for the president on the grounds that it could make the country not run well. The Golkar Party, for example, does not want this proposal to be approved. Because, fearfully, this actually leads to abuse of power.

"We do not want the President to be in power for too long a period of time that has the potential to cause abuse of power."

Golkar Party DPP chairman Ace Hasan Syadzily

Then, the Chairman of the DPP PKS Mardani Ali Sera also emphasized the same thing with Ace. He said the discourse of adding a presidential term could be dangerous for the realization of reform aspirations and an opportunity to bring Indonesia back to the New Order era.

Then, Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party Fadli Zon who has the same fear. Furthermore, he is afraid that the country will break up if debates over the term of office of the president. "I think it is final, it is enough for a democratic country to complete two terms, don't dream of wanting three terms," he said.