President Jokowi Likens Constitution Amendment to Pandora's Box

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in an interview with Tempo said that the plans for a 1945 Constitutional amendment will be similar to opening Pandora’s box.

“PDIP may be correct about the issue related to the state’s direction, but would be able to limit ourselves to that matter if Pandora’s box is already opened,” said the former Jakarta governor to Tempo Magazine.

The state leader was visibly apprehensive toward the idea of amending the constitution as it would open the possibility of being infiltrated by rouge agendas that may defy the interest of the people.

He then argues that political parties must be vigilant upon calculating the risks of an amendment and that it shall not direct the country’s system down to a level where its democracy is at stake.

“Don’t let democracy be in the hands of elites. Democracy must be held by the people,” said the president.

He fears that the reinstatement of the state’s long-term development plans (GBHN) will grant the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) the nation’s highest leadership. “This would mean that the president must be mandated by the MPR. I am mandated by the people.”

The talks of a GBHN reinstatement in Indonesia’s 1945 Constitution (UUD) was first introduced by the political party that endorses President Jokowi, PDIP. This plan even made its way into the party’s official agenda and recommendation at the PDIP congress V in Bali on August 8-10.

DEWI NURITA