8 Political Parties Convey Stance on Closed-list Election System

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The elites of eight political parties met on Sunday to make a joint statement against the implementation of a closed-list proportional election system for the 2024 General Election.

A proposal to conduct a judicial review on the Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Election, especially regarding the provisions on the implementation of an open-list proportional election system, was earlier submitted to the Constitutional Court (MK) with registration number of 114/PUU-XX/2022.

If the judicial review is granted by the MK, there is a possibility that the 2024 General Election may use a closed-list proportional election system.

"Today, we, (the representatives of) eight political parties, gathered for the people's sovereignty. Earlier, it was agreed that such a meeting will be held periodically to maintain the stance of these political parties,” General Chairman of Party of Functional Groups (Golkar) Airlangga Hartarto stated.

He said the meeting was attended by General Chairman of National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar, President of Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Ahmad Syaikhu, as well as General Chairman of Democratic Party Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.

General Chairman of National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan, Deputy Chairman of National Democratic (NasDem) Party Ahmad Ali, Secretary General of NasDem Party Johnny G Plate, and Deputy Chairman of United Development Party (PPP) Amir Uskara also attended the meeting.

There was no elite of Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party showing up at the meeting, but Hartarto said the party had stated that they would follow the agreement of the other seven parties.

Furthermore, he conveyed the five points of the agreement of the eight political parties.

First, they reject a closed-list proportional election system and are committed to maintaining the improvement of democracy in Indonesia which has been carried out since the reformation era (post-1998 era).

"A closed-list proportional election system is a setback for our democracy,” Hartarto remarked.

Meanwhile, he said, an open-list proportional election system is a manifestation of democracy which is in accordance with the people's sovereignty, as they can choose the candidates proposed by the political parties for legislative members directly.

“We do not want our democracy to collapse," he remarked.

Second, the eight political parties agree that an open-list proportional election system is the right choice for implementing the election in Indonesia and in accordance with the Decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) Number 22-24/PUU-VI/2008 on December 23, 2008.

"This (open-list proportional election) system has been implemented in three prior elections,” Hartarto noted.

Third, they asked the General Elections Commission (KPU) to continue to carry out its duties as an election organizer by maintaining its neutrality and independence in accordance with statutory regulations.

The eight political parties lauded the government which had allocated a budget for the 2024 General Election, as well as the election organizers, especially KPU, which had continued implementing the stages of the election according to the schedule mutually agreed prior.

"Fifth, we are committed to competing in the 2024 election in a healthy and peaceful manner, while maintaining national unity and integrity, to keep political, security, and economic stability," Hartarto added.

ANTARA

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