Looking At Jokowi's Proposal For Three Periods

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Twitter @jokowi)

JAKARTA - The discourse on the proposed additional presidential term is still being debated. The reason is that this discourse is related to the limited amendment plan of the 1945 Constitution, in which the change in the presidential term of office is only one period of eight years.

In fact, based on the current provisions, the president and vice president hold office for five years and can be re-elected for one term of office. Thus, the president and vice president can serve for a maximum of 10 years in two terms as stipulated in Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution.

This means that if the president's term of office is changed to eight years per term, the current president can resume his leadership in the third term.

In retrospect, these proposals related to changing the presidential term are not the first time this has occurred. Previously, these proposals had also appeared, whether they were later stipulated as regulations or not.

First, MPRS Decree No. III / MPRS / 1963. Soekarno is Indonesia's first president.

De facto, Indonesian power has fallen to Soekarno since the signing of the Presidential Decree in 1959. Before stepping down, Bung Karno was appointed president for life by the MPRS.

He was appointed through MPRS Decree No. III / MPRS / 1963 concerning the Appointment of Dr. Ir. Soekarno as President for life. Meanwhile, in the 1945 Constitution before the amendment, the term of office has also been regulated, namely in Article 7 which reads:

"The President and Vice President hold office for five years, after which they can be re-elected."

Second, MPRS Decree No. XVIII / MPRS / 1966. MPRS Decree No. III / MPRS / 1963 was later repealed and replaced by MPRS Decree No. XVIII / MPRS / 1966.

This decision was taken at the fourth general session of the MPRS. However, the withdrawal of this decree did not affect President Soekarno's term of office until another decision was made by the MPR as a result of the general election. This stipulation came into force on July 5, 1966.

Third, MPR Decree No. XIII / MPR / 1998. After 32 years as president based on Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution before the amendment, Suharto stepped down and was replaced by BJ Habibie in 1998.

During his term of office, MPR Decree No. XIII / MPR / 1998 concerning Limitation of the Term of Office of the President and Vice President.

Through this decree, it is stipulated that the maximum term of office for the president and vice president is two terms. This provision has also become a reference for the presidential election which is still in effect today.

Fourth, the Democrat Party spokesman at that time, Ruhut Sitompul, suggested that the presidential term be extended or be more than two terms. The Chairman of the Constitutional Court at that time, Mahfud MD, responded to the proposal.

Mahfud said that the discourse is the right of anyone. However, he warned that giving long powers would undermine democracy.

Fifth, proposals from the factions at the MPR. MPR Deputy Chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid stated that informally there were faction members in the MPR who proposed that a president could be re-elected for three terms.

There are also those who argue that the president can only be elected once, but his term of office is up to eight years.

Based on Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution after the amendment, the president and vice president hold office for five years and can be re-elected for one term of office.

This time, the proposed changes to the presidential term coincided with the discourse of amending the original draft of the Constitution and amending the constitution as a whole.

Three Periods of Jokowi's Opportunities

If the proposed three-term presidential term becomes the final decision on the limited amendments to the 1945 Constitution, then Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has the opportunity to continue his term of office.

At the end of 2019, Deputy Chairman of the MPR from the United Development Party (PPP) Fraction Arsul Sani said that his party was collecting various inputs regarding the limited amendments to the 1945 Constitution. One of them is the discourse of changing the presidential term to only one period of 8 years.

"There is also a discourse that in the future the president will only have one term of office, but not five years, eight years, some say that," said Arsul at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, November 21, 2019.

According to Arsul, the discourse also has reasons or grounds that should be considered. According to him, with one longer term of office, a president can run all of his programs well, rather than 5 years.

Under the current provisions, the president and vice president hold office for 5 years and can be re-elected for one term. Thus the president and vice president can serve for a maximum of 10 years in two terms as stipulated in Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution.

"Yes, that's just a discourse. And it also has its logical thinking. Because with one term but longer, he can also exercise, execute his programs well," said Arsul.

What if Jokowi has three terms?

The discourse on changing the term of office of the president is heating up again. Responses related to the news of 'Jokowi Three Periods' also reaped the pros and cons of various groups.

Executive Director of Indo Barometer, M. Qodari, assessed that nothing is impossible in politics. Likewise with the news that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) could come forward again in the third term.

According to Qodari, Jokowi can be re-nominated for three terms, as long as he is with Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto.

One of the indicators, Prabowo's entry into the ranks of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet, was able to reduce divisions at the community level and the number of hoaxes decreased by 80 percent.

"That is one of the indicators, this also makes me see that Jokowi's ideas and ideas from three terms from Prabowo are something that might happen," said Qodari in his statement, Thursday, December 24, 2020.

"It means, by joining the two figures who have been a symbol of representation for the Indonesian people," he added.

With the Jokowi-Prabowo package, the space for actors who use religious issues to bring down opponents will be closed.

"So the space for figures who want to use religious issues to win the presidential election becomes isolated, closed, say so. Because the two figures have joined the terms cebong and kampret have joined like that," he explained.

Meanwhile, political observer Ujang Komarudin said it was impossible for Jokowi to run again as a presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election, if he referred to the constitution. This is because the former governor of DKI Jakarta has served as president for two terms.

"So, it is impossible to go forward again, because the constitution (UUD 1945) limits the president to two terms of office. People also want to change the situation with the 2024 elections," said Ujang Komarudin, Wednesday, February 17.

According to Ujang, it is possible for Jokowi to run again as a presidential candidate, if an amendment is made to the 1945 Constitution. "Especially the article that regulates the limitation of one term of president and can be re-elected in the next period, if that can be changed, Jokowi can run again," he explained.

Political communication expert Hendri Satrio assessed that the proposed three terms only provoked a response from all parties, whether they agreed if Jokowi continued his leadership or two terms were sufficient. If many agree, it is possible to change the constitution.

"I am confused about who. But the first to propose the three terms. But in my opinion, if it does not require a very urgent and special matter to be changed into a law, in my opinion three periods are not necessary. it must be changed, please change it, "said Hendri, Thursday, March 11.

Political observer Rocky Gerung assesses that it is possible for Joko Widodo to re-serve as president in the next third term. Provided, it is necessary to review the report card while leading Indonesia.

"We will first investigate whether he has an achievement or not. Achievement is counted by whom? By neutral academics, a neutral press," said Rocky in a webinar discussion entitled Presidential Position 3 for a constitutional or unconstitutional period, Thursday, March 11.

"The point is that if he achieves it is possible to be given a bonus," he continued.