La Nyalla Reveals Four Negative Impacts Of The Presidential Threshold

DPD RI Chairman LaNyalla M Mattaliti (Photo: DPD RI Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The chairman of the DPD RI, La Nyalla Mattalitti, supports the abolition of the Presidential Threshold of 0 percent.

According to him, there are 4 negative impacts that occur in this country due to the presidential threshold regulated in the Election Law.

First, there will only be two pairs of candidates who go head to head. Although on paper it can bring up 3-4 candidates, but not so in practice. It was proven in the last election that this nation was only able to produce two pairs of candidates.

"The impact is that we are witnessing political divisions and polarization that are so strong at the grassroots and we are still feeling it to this day. And it is no longer productive for the journey of this nation and country," said La Nyalla in a seminar at Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, which broadcast online, Tuesday, June 8th.

Second, the presidential threshold (PT) dwarfs the nation's potential because this country has no shortage of competent leaders. However, its appearance is fueled by the rules of the game which at the same time reduces the people's choice to find the best leader.

"The fewer candidates who fight, the less the chance for the best leader to emerge," said the former chairman of PSSI.

Third, the presidential threshold has the potential to reduce political awareness and participation. Restriction of candidates means limiting the political channels of voters.

"The chances of voters not voting or abstaining are high because, according to them, the best candidate does not get a ticket to advance, so that the people's sovereignty is weakened by the strength of the party's sovereignty," explained La Nyalla.

Fourth, small parties tend to be helpless in front of big parties regarding decisions about which candidates will be jointly promoted. In fact, political parties are actually established to carry their cadres so that they can appear to lead nationally.

"But with the regulation on the threshold for presidential candidacy, political opportunities to appear are closed. Because only large political parties or a combination of political parties can carry presidential and vice presidential candidates," said the chairman of the East Java Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Moreover, continued La Nyalla, the argument that the presidential threshold is said to strengthen the presidential system so that the elected president has strong support in parliament, actually makes the check and balance mechanism weak.

Because major political parties and coalitions of political parties support the elected president, the result is a division of power and the DPR becomes the legitimator for government policies.

"This is a problem that is upstream, not downstream. Frankly, what has been debated and discussed in the community so far is the issue downstream, not upstream. Because sharing in politics is something that is commonplace, but it becomes evil when sharing is done by designing only so that there are 2 pairs of candidates for presidential and vice-presidential candidates who can be completely opposite and divide the nation. Or vice versa, it can seem as if they are enemies, "said La Nyalla.

According to him, the presidential threshold rule can open up opportunities for those two possibilities. Especially when the oligarchs are getting stronger, supported by networks and financial support, the oligarchs can regulate political games in two adjoining camps.

Because whoever is elected in the end still benefits the cukong. Thankfully, the benefits can be multiplied by conditioning all candidates.

"Therefore, I invite members of the DPD to spark a constitutional discussion so that in the end the government and DPR RI will discuss and rationally capture the presidential threshold," said the East Java senator.

But instead of waiting, he continued, the DPD RI chose to move quickly. So that people are not faced with two choices so that people can make choices and democracy will be healthier.

"Therefore, I think the best presidential threshold is 0 percent. So that the parties participating in the election can propose pairs of candidates for president and vice president, the more candidates that appear, the greater the chance of producing quality leaders," said La Nyalla Mattalitti.