Not Joining In, PKS Interpellation Value Makes Anies-Regional House of Representatives Relations Less Harmonious

JAKARTA - Member of the PKS faction of the DKI Regional House of Representatives, Abdul Aziz, admitted that his party was reluctant to follow the steps of the PDIP and PSI to apply for an interpellation right on Formula E to DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.

According to Aziz, if the interpellation is held, the members of the council will attack and force Anies to answer all questions regarding the implementation of Formula E. Aziz is worried that this will make the relationship between Anies and the Regional House of Representatives less harmonious.

"With this interpellation, it is no longer possible for us to get information from the DKI Regional Government properly. It uses coercive methods that require an answer. I think this will have an impact on the relationship between the legislature and the executive being less harmonious", said Aziz to reporters, Friday, August 27.

Moreover, said Aziz, interpellation is a premature way to do it. He considered that the Regional House of Representatives could still use other methods to ask for an explanation regarding Formula E, such as discussing without the need for interpellation.

"I think the Governor is still open. Why not use other methods. Communication is also not just something that we have to do officially. In fact, being formal sometimes creates rigidity," said Aziz.

So, Aziz hopes that the interpellation proposed yesterday will not be held in a plenary meeting. "The process is still long, it still needs to be brought together again by the leadership. I hope this does not continue to roll between the executive and the legislature," he continued.

Yesterday, a group of Regional House of Representatives members from the PDIP and PSI factions came to the room of the Chairperson of the DKI Regional House of Representatives, Prasetio Edi Marsudi, to propose an interpellation right on Formula E. They came together with the hope that the interpellation could be realized.

The interpellation application letter, along with the signatures of the Regional House of Representatives members who proposed it, was already in Prasetio's hands. After this, the Regional House of Representatives will determine a timetable for holding a plenary meeting to decide whether the interpellation can be held or not.

To approve the implementation of the interpellation, Regional House of Representatives members who are present at the plenary meeting must meet a quorum of 50 percent + 1 or as many as 54 Regional House of Representatives members.

Currently, there are only 33 Regional House of Representatives members who has proposed the interpellation of Formula E. Therefore, PDIP and PSI will lobby Regional House of Representatives members from other factions to participate in plenary meetings.

PDIP faction member, Ima Mahdiah, said that the support of other faction members in criticizing the implementation of Formula E could be realized by attending a plenary meeting. This is because the number of Regional House of Representatives members who propose interpellation is not sufficient to meet the quorum in the plenary meeting.

"We hope that friends who may want to come forward as individuals can attend the plenary forum. Because if we only have 33 people in the plenary session, we lose votes. We cannot continue the interpellation", said Ima.