Lawsuit For Minimum Age Of Presidential And Vice Presidential Candidates, Jokowi: I Don't Intervene

President Joko Widodo gave a statement to reporters after inaugurating the Ciliwung drain, in Jakarta, Monday (31/7/2023). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo emphasized that the judicial review lawsuit regarding the minimum age limit of presidential candidates (candidates) and vice presidential candidates (cawapres) at the Constitutional Court (MK) is a judicial matter. "I do not intervene, it is a judicial matter," said President Jokowi at Pasar Parungkuda, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, quoted by ANTARA Friday, August 4. In the Constitutional Court, three cases are currently processing which both question the minimum age limit of presidential and vice presidential candidates as regulated in Article 169 letter q of the Election Law. The submission of the judicial review is widely mentioned in relation to the support of the Mayor of Solo, who is also the son of President Joko Widodo, namely Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is supported to run as a vice presidential candidate, although Gibran's age is not sufficient in accordance with the Election Law. A number of surveys show Gibran's electability starts to rise as a vice presidential candidate. "Don't assume", replied the President when asked by reporters about the matter test lawsuit related to Gibran's candidacy. The three judicial review lawsuits being handled by the Constitutional Court, namely the first case Number 29/PUUU-XI/2023, were proposed by the cadre of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Dedek Prayudi. PSI asked that the minimum age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates be lowered from 40 years to 35 years. Secondly, the 51/PUU-XI/2023 case was proposed by the Secretary General and General Chair of the Garuda Party, namely Yohananna Murtika and Ahmad Ridha Sabhana. Ahmad Ridha is known to be the younger brother of the DPD DPD Gerindra Party, Ahmad Riza Patria. The Garuda party asked the Court to set a presidential and vice presidential age limit to remain 40 years or have experience as state organizers. The number 55/PUUXI/2023 was proposed by two Gerindra cadres, namely the Mayor of Bukittinggi Erman Safar and Deputy Regent of South Lampung Pandu Kesuma Dewangsa. Their petition is the same as the Garuda Party's

In the last trial at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, the DPR and the government seemed to show a signal agreeing that the minimum age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates was lowered to 35 years or experienced as state administrators. In the trial, the DPR was represented by a member of Commission III from the Gerindra Party faction, Habiburokhman. Meanwhile, the view of the president was represented by the Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H Laoly and the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian who acted on behalf of President Jokowi.