House Rejects Constitutional Court Decision on Regional Candidate's Age Limitation
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21 August 2024 19:20 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Legislative Body of Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) has rejected Constitutional Court (MK) decision No. 70/PUU-XXII/2024 on the age limitation of regional head candidates.
The DPR Legislative Body initially debated two decisions, each by the Supreme Court (MA) and MK. The Supreme Court decision on June 4 ruled for the General Election Commission or KPU to revise its regulation on candidate age limitation.
“(The enforcement) depends on us. MK only rejected the decision, right? Meaning, the Supreme Court decision was more detailed,” said Achmad Baidowi or Awiek, who led the meeting, on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
Awiek decided to ignore the MK decision without voting. He also ignored the protest brought up by the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) fraction. PDIP Legislative Board member Putra Nababan questioned Awiek’s move to accept MA’s decision. “Have you counted the number of fractions for and against the decision?” he asked, which Awiek immediately dismissed.
The court decided to enforce the 30-year-old age limitation for governor candidates and 25-year-old for regent or mayor candidates on the inauguration of the regional head-elect.
The decision was deemed a ‘red carpet’ for President Joko Widodo’s son, Kaesang Pangarep, to run in the upcoming regional head election. Kaesang is currently 29 years old, and he will turn 30 on December 2024; four months after the registration period for regional head candidacy.
However, in a turn of events, MK decided to reject the Supreme Court’s decision. Through its Tuesday ruling, the Constitutional Court stressed that historically, systemically, based on precedence, and in comparison with other elections, the age limitation of regional head candidacy has always referred to KPU’s candidate announcement and never to the elected candidate’s inauguration.
Meaning, the Constitutional Court decision blocked Kaesang’s hope to run as governor in the 2024 regional head election as he has not fulfilled the age limit requirement.
EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA
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