TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Poll delay debate back from dead despite Jokowi's assurances

Yerica Lai (The Jakarta Post)
Premium
Jakarta
Mon, March 20, 2023

Share This Article

Change Size

Poll delay debate back from dead despite Jokowi's assurances A man walks past a mural on the upcoming elections in front of Pasar Anyar market in Tangerang, Banten. (Antara/Fauzan)
Versi Bahasa Indonesia

A

controversial remark made by opposition figure and presidential contender Anies Baswedan suggesting that a senior Cabinet member has been pushing to amend the Constitution to delay the 2024 election has drawn backlash from members of the majority coalition.

The former Jakarta governor said on Friday that an unnamed member of the Joko “Jokowi” Widodo administration publicly toyed with the idea of altering the Constitution to extend the President’s tenure and accused that person of a lack of commitment to the country’s decades-old reform movement.

“How come there are people in key positions, such as a coordinating minister, saying a number of people support amending the Constitution? The quality of our democracy was not deteriorating, but [now] people who are not committed to [democratic ideals] have become more courageous in expressing their thoughts openly,” Anies said.

He called on people who remained committed to democracy to voice their opposition forcefully, saying, “We will be much better in the future if we respect the rules of the game […] What we need is a fair play, equal opportunity and neutrality from those holding power,” he said.

While Anies stopped short of naming names, speculation was rife that he was referring to Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, an influential power broker within the State Palace.

Luhut was one of several government officials who floated the idea of extending Jokowi’s presidential term beyond his constitutionally mandated two-term limit last year. He then claimed he had “big data” analysis from 110 million Indonesian social media users that suggested  the majority of the public was in favor of delaying the election.

Morning Brief

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.

Delivered straight to your inbox three times weekly, this curated briefing provides a concise overview of the day's most important issues, covering a wide range of topics from politics to culture and society.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

When asked about Anies’ comments, Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said on Friday that members of the Cabinet had been ordered to refrain from talking about such a Constitutional amendment. Meanwhile, the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Jakarta Post.

to Read Full Story

  • Unlimited access to our web and app content
  • e-Post daily digital newspaper
  • No advertisements, no interruptions
  • Privileged access to our events and programs
  • Subscription to our newsletters
or

Purchase access to this article for

We accept

TJP - Visa
TJP - Mastercard
TJP - GoPay

Redirecting you to payment page

Pay per article

Poll delay debate back from dead despite Jokowi's assurances

Rp 29,000 / article

1
Create your free account
By proceeding, you consent to the revised Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account?

2
  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • 10270
  • +6283816779933
2
Total Rp 29,000

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.