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s the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) kicked off the debate for the fifth amendment of the 1945 Constitution, political factions have put forward some proposals that they hope could shore up their political bases.

In a bid to strengthen its appeal with Muslim voters, the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) has proposed that the amendment includes a provision stipulating that only individuals with indigenous roots would be allowed to run for the country’s top jobs.

Currently, Article 6 of the 1945 Constitution only stipulates that Indonesian presidents and vice presidents must be citizens by birth who had never taken up the citizenship of other countries.

The leadership of the PPP first conveyed their proposal to bar non-natives from high office during a national meeting earlier this week.

In the meeting, party chairman Muhammad “Romi” Romahurmuziy said that the MPR should revert to the phrase used in the original 1945 Constitution, which stated that only “an indigenous Indonesian” could run to be president or vice president.

In the meeting, Romi also urged party officials and members at the grassroots level to vote only for Muslim candidates in any elections.

PPP secretary-general Arsul Sani on Friday elaborated on the proposal, saying that someone would be considered native or indigenous if he or she was a member of one of Indonesia’s traditional ethnic groups. He said those who have foreign origins should be barred from taking leadership positions in the country, although they would still be allowed to fill other key positions in the government.

The PPP’s proposal appeared to have been a response to the nomination of incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama by a coalition led by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

In the Jakarta gubernatorial election race, the PPP joined other Muslim-based political parties, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party (PKB), in nominating Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni, a ticket proposed by the Democratic Party of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The only Islamist political party that did not join the coalition, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), joined the Gerindra Party to nominate former culture and education minister Anies Baswedan and businessman Sandiaga Uno as running mates. Anies, who is at the top of the ticket, happens to be an Indonesian of Arab descent.

Political analysts have described the Jakarta race as a foretaste of the 2019 presidential election.

The MPR will soon start deliberating the amendments to the 1945 Constitution, which initially only aimed to reinstate the now-defunct State Policy Guidelines (GBHN), but the amendment plan opened the door to other proposals.

Recently, the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) demanded more authority over legislation.

The PPP’s proposal, however, would likely face opposition from other political factions.

The deputy chairman of the PDI-P in the House, Hendrawan Soepratikno, said the PPP’s nativist proposal was an anachronism in the country’s current situation and could promote disunity among different ethnic groups and faiths.

“We should move forward and the proposal has the potential to be a setback to our democratic gains,” he said.

A politician from the Hanura Party faction, Dadang Rusdiana, said the proposal could be an invitation to discrimination.

“Indigenous races in the country have blended with others, like Arabs and Chinese, and Indonesia has many ethnic groups, religions and races. Just because someone is of Arab or Chinese descent, that doesn’t mean he or she should lose political rights,” Dadang said.

Meanwhile, one of the PPP’s partners in the coalition for the Jakarta election, PAN, said it would possibly support the proposal. “Of course, [the president and vice president] should definitely be native Indonesians. How can we import people to become the country’s leaders?” PAN lawmaker Yandri Susanto said. (adt)