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Dems reject amendment to presidential election law
Head of the Democratic Partyâs faction in the House of Representatives, Nurhayati Ali Assegaf, has asserted that the revision of the 2008 presidential election law should not go ahead
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ead of the Democratic Party's faction in the House of Representatives, Nurhayati Ali Assegaf, has asserted that the revision of the 2008 presidential election law should not go ahead. She said there was no urgent reason for the revision.
Nurhayati said that Law No. 42/2008 on presidential and vice presidential elections was still relevant as an umbrella law for the 2014 presidential election.
'There is nothing urgent that makes the revision of the presidential election law a must,' said Nurhayati on Tuesday as quoted by Kontan.co.id.
Nurhayati said the Democratic Party did not have any objection to the law's presidential threshold requirement being so high. A presidential threshold of 20 percent was not at an obstacle for the Dems, she added.
'The presidential election law was endorsed by the House in the previous term. At that time, the Democratic Party secured only 7 percent of the vote. So, the law has never been a problem for us,' said Nurhayati.
Echoing the Dems, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction at the House, Puan Maharani, said her party firmly opposed continuing the revision of the presidential election law.
Four parties are currently supporting an amendment of the current presidential election law which sets a lower threshold. They are the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
The House's Legislative Body (Baleg) is scheduled to decide the fate of the amendment at a plenary meeting at 3 p.m. today. (hrl/ebf)
