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Constitutional amendments move up MPR agenda
Changing one aspect of the 1945 Constitution, he said, would open a Pandora's Box as it could lead to changes to other aspects and therefore could open space for political parties to once again seize control of the center of power.
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The plenary meeting of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, in Jakarta. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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ll political factions in the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) threw their support behind Golkar Party politician Bambang Soesatyo as speaker for the 20192024 term on Thursday.
His election, analysts say, could pave the way for constitutional amendments that could lead to a change in the nation's political system.
Bambang, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, has signaled that he would pursue limited amendments to the 1945 Constitution to reinstate the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN), which were scrapped in 2002 as a result of a previous constitutional amendment.
"A comprehensive review should be made of the State Policy Guidelines, including establishing a political consensus that will allow them to be enacted in an MPR decree," he said after his election as speaker.
The limited amendments are an agenda backed by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which some experts regard as an effort by the party to gain control over the president’s position.
The PDI-P’s desire to revive the GBHN is a follow up the party’s congress in Bali in August.
