Arsul Sani Opens Up, Jokowi Asks MPR To Explain To The Public Amendments To The Constitution Are Not Related To Additional Presidential Positions

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Arsul Sani said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the MPR to explain to the public that the limited amendments to the 1945 Constitution did not result in an additional presidential term.

This information was leaked by Arsul Sani when he met Jokowi with the Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, Bambang Soesatyo at the Bogor Palace some time ago. According to him, Jokowi asked that the discourse on the limited amendment of the 1945 Constitution be opened openly to the public so that it would not lead to misperceptions.

"This is opened as is and it must be explained that this has nothing to do with it, so don't be too busy about the addition of the President's term of office. Because later it will be crowded and I will be accused. This is what Mr. Jokowi said", Arsul said in an online discussion held aired on Integrity Law Firm's YouTube, Thursday, August 26.

During the meeting, continued Arsul, President Jokowi had also listened to a complete explanation from the Chairman of the MPR RI Bambang Soesatyo. According to him, Jokowi did leave this discourse to his institution.

However, the former Governor of DKI Jakarta gave a message that the public must get an explanation of the amendment discourse if the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly is serious about implementing it.

"Well, I called it 'the space for public participation'. That (President Jokowi said, ed) was wide open", he said.

Even so, Arsul said Jokowi would still leave this to the general chairman of the political party in parliament. Because they have the power to do this.

"He said that in the end it all came down to the general chairmen of political parties because the one who has the power is the general chairman of the political party. 'I'm not the general chairman of a political party'", said Arsul, imitating Jokowi's statement at the time.

As previously reported, People's Consultative Assembly Chairman Bambang Soesatyo considered that there was a need to amend the Basic Law to accommodate the Basic Principles of State Policy (PPHN). Therefore, a limited amendment to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia is needed, especially the addition of the MPR's authority to stipulate PPHN.

“The process of changing the Constitution in accordance with the provisions of Article 37 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia has strict requirements and mechanisms. Therefore, amendments to the Constitution can only be made to articles that are proposed to be amended along with the reasons", said Bambang Soesatyo in his introductory speech to the MPR Annual Session at the Nusantara Building, Jakarta Parliament Complex, Monday, August 16.