JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the DPR, Junimart Girsang, assessed that the support from the All-Indonesian Village Government Association (APDESI) for President Joko Widodo's three-term term, was against the constitution of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
"APDESI's support for the president for three terms is contrary to the constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, meaning that they have resisted and undermined constitutional values," said Junimart, Thursday, March 31, quoted from Antara.
A village head, said Junimart, is prohibited from playing politics in any form and character, including submitting political support for the advancement and election of regional and central government heads.
According to the PDI-P politician, the Indonesian nation must not return to the New Order pattern which betrayed the spirit of reform. One of the main issues of the reform that claimed many lives was the limitation of the executive term of office to only two consecutive terms.
"Aspirations and the right to express opinions are indeed regulated in the 1945 Constitution, but these rights must not injure the 1945 Constitution itself," he said.
Girsang reminded that the rights and obligations of village heads are to support and carry out government programs, as regulated in the constitution.
In addition, according to him, the spirit of village heads voicing the presidential term of office for three terms needs to be observed and has the potential to be ridiculed by irresponsible people.
He considered that the village heads who joined APDESI needed to be re-corrected with their statements regarding the three-term presidential term so that they needed to read and re-examine the articles in the 1945 Constitution.
"This must be observed and traced, the parties who ride it for political purposes. Every child of the nation must understand Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia," he said.
Previously, the Chairperson of the All-Indonesian Village Government Association (APDESI) Arifin Abdul Majid had asked the public not to act on behalf of APDESI for personal gain. This was conveyed after a group of people on behalf of APDESI supported President Jokowi's government being extended.
"I ask the public not to use the names of APDESI or APDESI management for certain purposes. We, from APDESI, who are legal and hold a decree from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, object if there is a group of people acting on behalf of APDESI for interests outside the main task force, let alone politics," said Arifin to VOI.
Arifin acknowledged that expressing opinions is the right of every citizen and protected by the constitution, but that does not mean that the opinions expressed can violate other constitutions.
“When we were sworn in, we promised and swore to obey the constitution. So it's impossible for us from APDESI to officially support something that violates the constitution, such as violating the 1945 Constitution in terms of extending the presidential term of office, which is clearly written for only two terms," he said.
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