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strong>Sept. 12, Online

Gerindra Party deputy chief Fadli Zon says the country'€™s founding philosophy, Pancasila, legitimizes indirect elections.

He added that if people did not agree, then they should change Pancasila first. He then cited the fourth principle of Pancasila: '€œDemocracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations among representatives,'€ as blatant proof of the need for indirect elections.

'€œIt is clear that the kind of democracy we practice here in Indonesia is representative democracy.

Thus for those who still want to maintain direct elections, please change Pancasila first,'€ he said on Saturday.

Your comments:

It is quite sad to see so many people in power '€” our representatives '€” that in fact only represent their own self-serving interests.

Duncan tan

What a cheap excuse. That'€™s like saying: '€œHey, we need to change back to an outdated law that we got rid of as it only served the Soeharto gang because all of a sudden we discovered this ambiguous phrase in Pancasila, sorry!'€ I think the days of Gerindra are numbered.

Caspa

Whatever damage control they undertake moves them deeper into the quicksand pit. I don'€™t think they can pull the rabbit out of the hat. The Democratic Party swings their votes to kill this proposal. The Dems cannot afford to stay neutral or stay with the Red-and-White Coalition. They have been around for the last decade and are wise enough to go with the winner. Only problem I am seeing is the '€œissue'€ between SBY and Megawati. If this can be resolved, we'€™ll see the writing on the walls.

Valky Rie

Democracy is one person, one vote, not guided! If it is guided, then it is no longer democracy '€” by definition! Misleading, on purpose, is lying!

Brien

The days of the Old Order and their thuggish, corrupt attitude toward governing the people of Indonesia are most certainly shortening as each day passes '€” long live Indonesia and its bright new dawn.

SFH

No matter what you bark out, you and your like-minded accomplices will not be able to convince the good people of Indonesia because this is no longer Soeharto'€™s era. Now people are more informed and educated than you will ever be at interpreting Pancasila!

Pluto

The fact that we could have politicians selling arguments like that tells us what level of maturity our politics is at: pathetic. Sadly, all we can do is to watch in disbelief how individuals like this wreck people'€™s hope.

Sudarshana Chakra