Jokowi Values An Open Or Closed Election System Has Excess And Weaknesses

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo reiterated his opinion that an open or closed proportional system in an election has advantages and weaknesses.

Therefore, the President advised the entire community to be patient in waiting for the results of the Constitutional Court's decision on the judicial review lawsuit of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning the ongoing General Election.

"Yes, just wait for the Constitutional Court. Because, what, every party, everyone when asked, it can be different, because both of them have advantages, there are weaknesses. The closed ones have advantages, there are weaknesses, there are also advantages, there are weaknesses," Jokowi said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, June 15.

It is known that on Wednesday night, President Jokowi was seen spending time with Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Anwar Usman who is also his brother-in-law after opening the Jakarta Raya Week at JIExpo Kemayoran.

The President also rejected the assumption that he had discussed the decision on the election system lawsuit with Anwar.

"Ngopi. Many people. Affairs have never been mixed up like that, never," he said.

When asked by reporters whether he had an open or closed proportional electoral system preference, President Jokowi only said "overall the law (the law), it's up to the decision".

President Jokowi had shown a similar attitude when faced with the same question in mid-February.

At that time, Jokowi emphasized that he did not have any business whether the 2024 General Election would use an open or closed proportional system, while reminding him that it was in the territory of political parties participating in the election.

"No. The government, I need to convey, if you look open, there are advantages, there are weaknesses. Closed, there are advantages, there are weaknesses. Please choose. That's party business," said Jokowi after attending the 50th Anniversary of the United Development Party (PPP) at ICE BSD City, Tangerang, on February 17, 2023.

The proportional system is open and closed regarding the choice of voters when using their voting rights for legislative elections.

In an open proportional system, voters can choose the legislators directly. Whereas in a closed proportional system, voters only need to choose their party of choice who has the right to determine the legislator.

An open proportional system has been used in holding Legislative Elections since the 2009 General Election.

As is known, the Constitutional Court received a request for judicial review of Article 168 paragraph (2) of the Election Law related to an open proportional system registered with case registration number 114/PUU-XX/2022 on November 14, 2022.

The six applicants are Demas Brian Wicaksono (Pemohon I), Yuwono Pintadi (Pemohon II), Fahrurrozi (Pemohon III), Ibnu Rachman Jaya (Permohon IV), Riyanto (Pemohon V), and Nono Marijono (Pemohon VI).

Eight of the nine political party factions in the DPR RI also stated that they rejected the closed proportional electoral system, namely the Golkar, Gerindra, Democrat, NasDem, PAN, PKB, PPP, and PKS factions. Only one faction wants a closed proportional election system, namely the PDI-P.

In the midst of waiting for the results of the judicial review decision, there was an issue raised by the former Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights (Wamenkumham) 2011 2014 Denny Indrayana who said that the Constitutional Court's decision had been leaked.

Denny via a tweet on his personal Twitter account claimed to have received information about the Constitutional Court's decision regarding the legislative election system which will return to a closed proportional system or party voting, something that was later immediately denied by the Constitutional Court Spokesperson Fajar Laksono.