MK Removes Presidential Threshold, PDIP Spokesperson: Official Attitudes Will Be Announced During Next Month's Congress

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) has not taken a stand regarding the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) which abolished the presidential nomination threshold (PT) of at least 20 percent. Nevertheless, PDIP respects the Constitutional Court's decision.

"We must respect the final and binding Constitutional Court's decision," said PDIP spokesman Chico Hakim, Friday, January 3.

Chico assessed that his party would still review and consider the impact of the abolition of PT by the Constitutional Court. Of course, according to him, there are several notes related to the 20 percent presidential threshold. Before that, there was an agreement from the factions and political parties in parliament.

"Of course there are many considerations for why it reaches a 20 percent threshold. Because even though there are many alternative choices and the availability of choices is also good for democracy, of course the selection is also important," said Chico.

"In a sense, so as not to be too free so that there is no ideological screening for example and other non-technical things," he continued.

Even so, Chico emphasized that the PDIP's official stance on the Constitutional Court's decision would be announced directly by General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri during the upcoming PDIP Congress.

"However, again, the official position of our party, the PDI-P regarding this and alternative offers other than the parliamentary threshold so that our democracy is maintained, healthy and does not fall into the liberalization of democracy, which I said earlier that there is no limit of the number of candidates. An official attitude will certainly be determined later after next month's Congress," he concluded.