Perppu Hasn't Published Yet, PKB Asks KPU To Continue The 2024 Election Stage

Illustration of simultaneous 2024 General Elections (Pemilu) which includes the Presidential Election (Pilpres) and the Legislatig Election (Pileg). (Between)

JAKARTA - The government to this day has not issued a Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) on Elections. Member of the DPR from the PKB faction, Luqman Hakim, asked the General Election Commission (KPU) to continue the implementation of the stages and schedule of the 2024 Election by referring to Law 7 of 2017 concerning Elections. According to the former member of Commission II of the DPR, if the government does not issue an Election Perppu, the implementation of the 2024 Election will not be legally flawed. Because, said Luqman, the implementation of the 2024 General Election has a constitutional basis, namely Article 22E of the 1945 Constitution and is accompanied by Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections. "Therefore, I ask the KPU to be perpendicular to the constitution and the law," said Luqman, Monday, December 12. Thus, Luqman continued, then Papua can still participate in the 2024 General Election. Where there are two regions of DPR and DPD elections, namely Papua and West Papua with seat allocation as stipulated in Law 7 of 2017 concerning Elections. On the other hand, Luqman assessed, there are consequences of public perceptions that are detrimental if President Joko Widodo has not issued an Election Perppu. One of them, can bring back public speculation that there are still government strategic officials who are trying to thwart the implementation of the 2024 General Election.

Moreover, said Luqman, recently the issue of postponement of the 2024 General Election has returned to the public due to the statement by the Chairman of the MPR RI a few days ago. Where the Chairman of the MPR said that the 2024 Simultaneous Elections needed to be taken into account because they were recovering from the economy.

"With such public speculation, it will clearly affect the decline in people's trust in the government, especially if it will injure the dignity and good name of President Joko Widodo," said Luqman.

Previously, the General Elections Commission (KPU) asked the government to issue a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) on Elections before the day the determination of political parties (particles) participating in the 2024 General Election on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.

"The KPU hopes that the Perppu will be issued before December 14, 2022," said KPU chairman Hasyim Asy'ari in his statement, Friday, December 9.

Hasyim explained that it is very important for the Election Perppu to be issued as soon as possible by the government. This is because the KPU as the organizer of the election will carry out a number of activities related to the election stages in December 2022. Moreover, there are additional regions that require the election of regional heads. For example, the new autonomy regions (DOB) of Papua and IKN Nusantara.

"How important is Perppu as an amendment to several provisions in Law 7/2017 concerning Elections, to ensure certainty of holding the 2024 General Election, especially in the DOB (new autonomous regions), Provinces and Elections at IKN (Nusantara Capital)," said Hasyim.