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Jakarta Post

Citizens challenge law to dismiss Dems

JAKARTA: Film actor Pong Harjatmo filed a judicial review with the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, asking the court to annul an article in the 2011 Constitutional Court Law stipulating that only the government has the power to disband political parties

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Thu, August 4, 2011

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Citizens challenge law to dismiss Dems

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AKARTA: Film actor Pong Harjatmo filed a judicial review with the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, asking the court to annul an article in the 2011 Constitutional Court Law stipulating that only the government has the power to disband political parties.

“After the parties [are elected] and gain power, citizens lose the right to control them,” Pong, who was accompanied by cultural observer and historian Ridwan Saidi, told journalists at the court.

“What if the government comes from a troubled political party? Then it will be very unlikely for the government to disband its own party. Just look at the troubled Democratic Party now,” he added.

Ridwan said he would immediately propose the disbandment of the Democratic Party should the court rule favorably.

“Given the massive scandals implicating many Democratic Party members, the existence of the party can be considered ‘dangerous’ for this nation,” he said.

The public’s memory of Pong, now 68, who frequently appeared in Indonesian films in the 1970s and 1980s, was refreshed when the actor climbed onto the roof of the House of Representatives’ building to spray-paint three words: jujur, adil and tegas (honest, fair and resolute).

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