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Draft:Protests over revision of Indonesia's 2024 regional head election law

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August 22 2024 Demonstration or also popularly known as Indonesian Emergency Warning is an action carried out by the public and students who criticize the attitude of the DPR the Constitutional Court's decision by drafting the Regional Election Bill which is contrary to the decision of the Constitutional Court. The hashtags #KawalPutusanMK and #KawalPutusanMK had become an internet phenomenon and on August 22 2024, this phenomenon developed into demonstrations that took place throughout Indonesia.

Polemic on the Regional Election Bill

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The position of the Constitutional Court is the highest decider of conflicts over regulations against the Constitution. Despite this, the DPR refused to implement the Constitutional Court's decision by setting an age limit for regional head candidates that would only take effect after the inauguration of the winner of the 2024 regional elections, in accordance with the Supreme Court decision Number 23 P/HUM/2024, which contradicts the Constitutional Court's decision number 70/PUU-XXII/2024 which determines the age limit for regional heads to apply when determining candidates[1] Meanwhile, at the same time, the DPR only half followed the Constitutional Court's decision number 60/PUU-XXII/2024 regarding the elimination of party seat limits in the DPRD for nominating regional head candidates, but this only applies to parties that do not have seats. Meanwhile, on the other hand, the DPR also immediately agreed when the KPU decided Constitutional Court decision No.29/PUU-XXI/2023, 51/PUU-XXI/2023 and case 55/PU-XXI/2023 become KPU regulations regarding the age limit in the 2024 Presidential Election.[2]

This action was then formulated into the Regional Election Bill in a relatively short time. This is considered to only benefit certain candidates who are suspected of having ties to the president's family[4] and leads Indonesian democracy to become a country of monarchy and nepotism. The high volume of discussion on this topic has caused the hashtag #KawalPutusanMK and Indonesian Emergency Warning to become one of the trending topics on X's social media.

Party reaction

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PDI Perjuangan is the only faction that openly opposes the DPR RI Baleg's position. At the last moment of the Plenary Meeting, PDI Perjuangan was seen trying to stop this action by not attending at all so that the meeting did not have a quorum. Thus the decision to ratify the Regional Election Bill is postponed.[3] Meanwhile PKB is ambivalent, as can be seen from the statement of Muhaimin Iskandar as Deputy Chair of the DPR who stated that he was not aware of the agenda for drafting the Regional Election Bill,[4] Luqman Hakim from the PKB faction also did not attend the plenary session,[5] but in general the PKB faction agreed to this bill.[6]

Apart from PDI Perjuangan, eight factions in the DPR RI unanimously agreed on this Pilkada Bill.[7]

International coverage

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The Reuter news agency also provided coverage of this phenomenon with the news title "Protests across Indonesia as parliament delays change to election law". This news highlights the dismissive attitude of President Joko Widodo who stated that the role of the MK and DPR in this incident was part of "checks and balances".[8] A similar negative spotlight was given by the BBC news agency, in a story entitled "Election law changes spark mass protests in Indonesia", with the addition that this incident was a deliberate attempt to trip up Anies Baswedan, as well as pave the way for Kaesang Pangarep in the regional election contestation, even though he is not yet of age.[9]

Indonesian emergency warning

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This internet phenomenon spread a few days earlier in the form of a short video or a dark blue screenshot with a picture of a white Garuda bird.[10] This warning is similar to the emergency alarm system (EAS) that appears on TV some countries like Japan, when they experience a major disaster, such as an earthquake or tsunami.[11]

Real world impact

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The spread of this message was followed by calls for demonstrations at several points, including Jakarta[12] Bandung, and Jogja.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Points of the Constitutional Court's Decision regarding Requirements and Age for Regional Head Candidates". 2024-08-22.
  2. ^ [ Commission II Agrees on Revision of PKPU Regarding Age Requirements for Vice Presidential Candidates.] from the dpr.go.id site
  3. ^ Not Meeting the Quorum, Only 89 People Attended the Plenary Meeting of the Regional Election Law from the kompas website
  4. ^ Cak Imin Admits He Didn't Know There Was a DPR Baleg Meeting Discussing the Pilkada Bill. from the site antarnews
  5. ^ Vote from the PKB faction in the DPR divided over the revision of the Regional Election Law. from the katadata site
  6. ^ Different Attitude with Fractions, DPR Member from PKB Rejects Ratification of Regional Election Bill. from the sindonews site
  7. ^ Only PDIP Rejects, 8 DPR Fractions Agree to Revise the Pilkada Law. from the RMol website
  8. ^ Protests across Indonesia as parliament delays change to election law. from the Reuters site
  9. ^ Election law changes spark mass protests in Indonesia. from the bbc news site
  10. ^ Indonesian emergency warning on social media, what does it mean? from the cnnindonesia site
  11. ^ The Origin of the 'Emergency Warning' Set in the 1991 New Order, These are the Real Facts. from the business site
  12. ^ Thousands of Workers Surround the DPR Tomorrow: Until the Apocalypse We Will War. from the cnnindonesia site
  13. ^ Emergency Warning Demonstration in Bandung and Jogja Held Tomorrow, This is the Location. from the kompas website
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