Expert Deems GBHN Reinstatement Meant to Control the President

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - University of Andalas Constitutional Law Expert, Feri Amsari, argues that the People's Consultative Assembly’s (MPR) plan on reinstating the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN) is irrelevant to the presidential system Indonesia currently adopts.

The return of the state guidelines can have its own implications, such as the president will be responsible for the MPR, which according to Feri is a sign of political parties’ attempt to control the president.

“We now adopt the presidential system, but the ones that want to stay in power are the political party leaders. Maybe it’s planned via MPR by reinstating it. That way, they could in a way control the president,” said Feri in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

According to Feri’s argument and what he considers odd is the existence of a state policy guideline would double the president’s responsibility. Dualism in control is done by the MPR through state policy guidelines and the House of Representatives (DPR) via Law.

A similar sentiment was voiced by Constitution and Democracy (Kode) Initiative Chairman Veri Junaidi who blatantly said that the reinstatement of the state guidelines only further confirms the suspicion that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) intends to control President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

PDIP is the country’s political party most vocal expressing its intent to reinstate the GBHN.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI