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Businesses fret over political instability amid Election Law uproar
The decision could set a precedent for other government institutions, signaling that ‘existing rules can be bent’, including laws and regulations related to businesses.
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Protestors march on Aug. 22, 2024, tor eject the ratification of the Revision of the Regional Elections Law in front of the House of Representatives Building in Jakarta. The protest was part of Indonesia's emergency warning movement that went viral on social media after the House of Representatives maneuvered to ignore the Constitutional Court's decision. (JP/Muhammad Zaenuddin)
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usiness have urged the government and lawmakers to immediately resolve the backlash surrounding the revision of the Regional Elections Law, stressing that political instability could hurt the economy.
Thousands of protesters, including students, civil organizations and workers, gathered on Thursday outside of the House of Representatives complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, after the House Legislation Body (Baleg) rushed to revise the 2016 Regional Elections Law.
The goal of this move was to walk back a Constitutional Court ruling on Tuesday that revoked a minimum threshold requirement to nominate candidates in the upcoming regional head elections and keep the minimum age limit of 30 for candidates at the time of registration.
The revision would pave way for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's youngest son to run for governor of Central Java. Meanwhile, Anies Baswedan, who ran against president-elect Prabowo Subianto in the February election, would be unable to run for the influential post of Jakarta governor.
Read also: Thousands rally in defense of democracy
Shinta Kamdani, chairwoman of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), said that businesspeople always uphold democratic processes and respect political dynamics in the country.
However, she emphasized that the rule of law is crucial to ensuring a favorable investment and business climate for both domestic and foreign investors.
