Supreme Court Decision On Age Limits In The 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Election Signs Of President Joko Widodo's Aggressiveness In Building Power

President Joko Widodo and his youngest son who is a million PSI General Chair, Kaesang Pangarep. (Instagram/@PSI)

JAKARTA The dynastic politics of President Joko Widodo apparently did not stop at the 2024 Presidential Election, after the Supreme Court (MA) added to the interpretation of the terms of age for regional head candidates.

On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, the Supreme Court granted the lawsuit of the General Chairperson of the Garuda Party, Ahmad Ridha Sabana, as stated in Decision Number 23 P/HUM/2024.

In his lawsuit, Ridha intends to increase his interpretation of the age requirements for regional head candidates.

In the verdict, the Supreme Court changed the provisions from the previous 30-year-old governor and deputy governor candidates since the determination of the candidate pair, to after the inauguration of the candidate.

The addition of this interpretation also applies to the 25 year age limit for candidates for regents and deputy regents or candidates for mayor and deputy mayors.

This means that the age limit for prospective regional heads is calculated when the candidate is appointed as regional head, not during registration.

After the news of the decision spread, the public became boisterous again. The Supreme Court's decision seems full of interests. Who else if not President Joko Widodo was the target.

This decision seemed to give Kaesang Pangarep a red carpet, Jokowi's youngest son.

Public suspicion is reasonable. At almost the same time as the Supreme Court's decision was issued, news about Kaesang running as a candidate for Deputy Governor of DK Jakarta also surfaced.

He said the PSI General Chairperson would partner with the Deputy Chairperson of the Gerindra DPP Budisatrio Djiwandono. Posters featuring the faces of Budiastrio and Kaesang have even been published by the Daily General Chairperson of the Gerindra Party Central Leadership Council, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad.

A little additional information, Budiastrio is Prabowo Subianto's nephew, the elected president who is paired with Gibran Rakabuming Raka in the 2024 presidential election.

If the schedule and stages of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada, it is very possible that the Supreme Court's decision will become a red carpet for Kaesang.

Based on KPU Regulation (PKPU) Number 2 of 2024, the KPU will determine the candidate for regional head on September 22, 2024.

Kaesang Pangarep is Jokowi's youngest son who was born on December 25, 1994. This means that he will only be 30 years old after the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada voting day on November 17.

For the inauguration of the elected regional head candidates, the schedule is different. What is certain is that the KPU has arranged the results of the recapitulation of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada vote count no later than December 16, 2024.

After that, the Constitutional Court will give a deadline for losing candidates to register a dispute lawsuit. In the 2020 Pilkada, the Constitutional Court gave 14 working days.

If there is no dispute until the deadline in the area, the Constitutional Court will notify the KPU. Then the KPU has a maximum of five days to determine the results of the Simultaneous Regional Head Elections. At the latest 3 days after the stipulation, the KPU must propose the inauguration of the elected candidate.

On paper, the inauguration of the elected regional head candidate for the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Election will be held in early 2025.

Gibran Rakabuming Raka said this decision opened up opportunities for all young people to run in the Pilkada. A similar statement was also made by the Deputy Chairperson of the PKS faction of the DPR RI, Mardani Ali Sera.

"The responsibility is whether Kaesang will benefit, all prospective young people will benefit," said Mardani, quoted by Tempo.

Meanwhile, PDIP spokesman Chico Hakim said the Supreme Court's decision was an attempt to circumvent the law with the law.

"Of course this is the highest form of betrayal for the ideals of reform," Chico said.

Political observer Dedi Kurniah Syah admitted that he was not too surprised by the Supreme Court's decision to increase the interpretation of the cagub and cawagub age limits.

According to him, the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) has also occurred, which has finally become the legal basis for Gibran to run in the 2024 presidential election.

Reflecting on the 2024 presidential election, Gibran, who is 36 years old, was finally able to run as a vice presidential candidate after the Constitutional Court added a nomination requirement for the president and vice president in Article 169 letter q of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections.

Through decision Number 90/PUU-XXI/2023, the Constitutional Court changes the requirements for the age of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates so that someone who is not yet 40 years old can run for the presidential election on condition that they have experience as a regional head or other official who is elected by election.

"This is an easy-to-predictable situation, Jokowi's aggressiveness in building family power, since the Gibran scandal passed the Constitutional Court, until now it is in the gubernatorial election scheme," said Dedi when contacted by VOI.

"This decision could be the entrance to the scenario of passing Kaesang for contestation in Jakarta, and as has happened, the process of organizing the Pilkada has the potential to be boisterous again and full of scandals to replicate the 2024 presidential election," he added.