MPR Deputy Chairman HNW Denies Reviewing Amendments To The 1945 Constitution Regarding 3 Terms Of Presidency: None Suggesting

Deputy Chairman of MPR Hidayat Nur Wahid (DOK. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) denied that his party was reviewing the amendments to the 1945 Constitution in order to change the rules so that the presidency could be extended to three terms.

The discourse for a three-term presidential term was again rolled out by former Deputy Gerindra Deputy Arif Poyuono and former Chairman of Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais. However, said HNW, there has not been any proposal regarding changes to the presidential term.

"To this day, there has not been a single legal or formal proposal from the Palace, individuals, nor has a single member of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) proposed to the MPR leadership for amendments to the Constitution to extend the presidential term to 3 terms," said HNW in his statement, Monday, March 15th.

In fact, what happened according to HNW, most of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) leaders apart from PKS and PDIP, namely Gerindra, Nasdem, PKB, PD, and PPP have publicly stated that there is no agenda for amending the 1945 NRI Constitution to extend the presidential term to three terms.

This, said HNW, is to maintain the mandate of reform so that the political system, which is threatened with corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN/Korupsi, Kolusi, Nepotisme), and undemocratic, does not happen again.

"This is the commitment of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly leadership to maintain the mandate of reform by implementing Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia which states that the term of office for the president and vice president is five years and after that, they are re-elected to the same position for only one term of office," he explained.

Previously, Amien Rais, through his YouTube account, Amien Rais Official, revealed that the Jokowi administration had attempted to control top state institutions and this was considered dangerous.

The former chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly also suspected that the Jokowi regime would push the People's Consultative Assembly session to amend two articles. One of them is changing the term of office of the president.

"So they will take the first step asking the People's Consultative Assembly Special Session, which may be one or two articles, he said, needs to be corrected. Which, I also don't know, but later a new article will be offered which then gives the right that the president can be elected three times," he said as quoted from the video.

"If this is really their wish, then I think we can immediately say inalillahi wa inalillahirojiun," he added.

Separately, former Gerindra Party Deputy Chairman Arief Poyuono assessed that the discourse on the presidency for three terms needs serious attention. He admitted the presidential term of only two terms was too short to lead the government.

Moreover, said Arief, a government led by a president with two terms is still ineffective. This is because whoever is the president who is elected at the beginning of his administration must take care of the coalition so that it remains solid, besides that, he continues to do the state's duties.

"Two periods seem too short for a country of this size. This means that when a president is elected in the first 5 years, the first 1 year must first manage the coalition. Dismantle the cabinet. Finally, many of his campaign promises are neglected," said Arief.

Arief also mentioned on what basis the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) at that time applied the presidency to only serve for two terms or a total of 10 years.

"Colleagues in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), who at that time were led by Amien Rais himself, drafted that presidential election law. A citizen, to be a president, is only allowed for two terms, what is the ground rule, where do they cheat from?" he said.