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President Jokowi taking reins of PDI-P would be legal, say politicians

Politicians say that if President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo were to assume the chairmanship of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) it did not violate the 2011 Political Parties Law

Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post)
Purwokerto
Mon, January 26, 2015

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President Jokowi taking reins of PDI-P would be legal, say politicians

P

oliticians say that if President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo were to assume the chairmanship of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) it did not violate the 2011 Political Parties Law.

A politician from the Democratic Party, Khotibul Umam Wiranu, said one of functions of a political party was to ready members to become state leaders.

'€œSo I think selecting Jokowi as the PDI-P chairman is not prohibited. Instead, each political party cadre is always encouraged to become administration leaders in this country,'€ Khotibul, secretary of the Democratic Party faction at the People'€™s Consultative Assembly (MPR), told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He said that discussion within the PDI-P about President Jokowi replacing Megawati Soekarnoputri as party chairman was nothing new.

It'€™s a normal thing and it's not a problem. [If Jokowi were to become party head] there would be no article in the Political Parties Law againts it,'€ said Khotibul.

He added that President Jokowi'€™s appeal to Cabinet members to relinquish party positions was merely a moral appeal, not an official requirement.

'€œ[...] I think it'€™s just a moral appeal and its implementation depends on each minister. It'€™s merely an ethics issue and it'€™s different with regulations stipulated in the political parties law, which has become the foundation of political activity in the country,'€ Khotibul said.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, who is also a PDI-P politician, said popularity was the primary driver of a candidate's suitability. President Jokowi, for instance, ranked first in a survey of potential PDI-P chairman candidates. Megawati ranked second.

'€œThe surveys have also shown that fanatic support for popular figures remains a crucial factor in our society. This means that if Jokowi still has the support to become PDI-P chairman, then our people will permit it.'€ Ganjar said. (ebf)(+++)

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