JAKARTA: Former Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri has warned that allowing a president to serve three terms could damage the country, in comments that potentially referred to outgoing president Joko Widodo.
Speaking at a ceremony where she handed out copies of the national flag to Indonesian governors at Balai Samudra convention centre in Jakarta on Monday (Aug 5), the 77-year-old PDI-P chairwoman expressed concern over potential harm to the republic in response to an alleged attempt to change the country’s presidential term limit.
She emphasised her strong opposition to the extension of presidential terms to three periods, noting that it would violate Indonesia’s constitution.
In addition, Mdm Megawati questioned whether the current political elites were fulfilling their roles in upholding the constitution.
“It’s being damaged by you, the Indonesian people, who no longer feel the need for mutual cooperation, family values, and have forgotten the principle of unity in diversity. What will you become then? Just elites,” she said.
Mdm Megawati did not specify which elites she was referring to.
However, local media and various PDI-P officials have previously reported that outgoing president Mr Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, had allegedly sought to amend the constitution to allow him to run for a third term.
Jokowi has previously sought to rein in speculation that he would stand for a third term.
On Monday (Aug 5) Mdm Megawati stressed that her stance was meant to uphold constitutional integrity.
She invited constitutional lawyers attending the event to raise their hands if they agreed with her view.
Mdm Megawati further explained that she does not have the authority to decide on the change of the presidential term.
“I don’t have the authority to decide; it’s the role of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR),” she stated.
The MPR consists of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate of Indonesia.
Indonesian presidents can only serve a maximum of two five-year terms as mandated by the constitution.
To amend the constitution in Indonesia, a proposal must be made by at least a third of the entire MPR members, in written form, describing the proposed amendments and their justification.
The quorum for a parliamentary special session to amend the constitution is a two-thirds majority of the MPR members.
An amendment proposal needs a simple majority of 50 per cent plus one additional member to be passed by the MPR.
Although her comments on the subject are rare, this is not the first time Mdm Megawati has voiced her opposition to the idea of a third presidential term.
In February, she firmly rejected the proposal, citing her adherence to the constitution.
“I am committed to following the rules,” Mdm Megawati said in an interview on Kompas TV on Feb 8.
A HISTORY OF TENSION
Mdm Megawati stressed that her relationship with the president remains positive.
“Why is there so much talk about this? I have a good relationship with the president. Is it because I oppose extending presidential terms? I understand the law,” she said.
However, Mr Widodo’s alleged intentions to extend his term is widely believed by analysts to be a main source of tension between him and Mdm Megawati.
Local investigative media Tempo reported last year that the relationship between the two began to deteriorate following the PDI-P matriarch’s rejection of the president’s request for a term extension.
