House of Representatives to Press Ahead with Meeting on Electoral Bill Next Week; ‘Gibran Clause’ Under Scrutiny

Committee II of the House of Representatives is scheduled to begin a meeting to discuss the Electoral Bill, even though MPs are still on recess, at the start of November next week.

Deputy Chair of Committee II of the House of Representatives, Dede Yusuf, said the meeting would also address the controversy surrounding the alleged inclusion of a ‘sneak-in’ clause in KPU Regulation (PKPU) No. 19/2023, which is alleged to have been deliberately drafted to secure the candidacy of Indonesian Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka in the 2024 presidential election.

“Perhaps next week we will try to hold a meeting during the recess. As the Special Committee, we will include that suggestion [discussion on the evaluation of the ‘Gibran Clause’] on the committee’s agenda. It is not specifically about the PKPU itself, but about the draft bill,” said Dede when contacted on Monday (19/20).

Dede acknowledged that he had received a proposal for the controversy surrounding Article 18(3) of PKPU 19/2023 to be discussed specifically at the meeting. His committee has also scheduled hearings with both the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu).

However, as the House of Representatives is currently in recess, Commission II plans only to review the documentation of the discussions on the PKPU from the previous session.

“However, in accordance with the schedule we have drawn up, as we are currently in recess, we will simply discuss the data available to the Committee, including both the minutes and the recordings,” said Dede, who is also a Democrat politician.

Article 18(3) of PKPU 19/2023 states: “The proof of graduation referred to in paragraph (1)(m) shall not apply to prospective presidential candidates or vice-presidential candidates who do not possess proof of graduation from a foreign secondary school abroad but who do possess proof of graduation from a higher education institution”.

This article is currently the subject of controversy following the Constitutional Court’s (MK) ruling on Gibran’s educational qualifications for the 2024 presidential election. The Chair of Commission II of the House of Representatives for the 2019–2024 term has been involved in a war of words with the former Chair of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Hasyim Asy’ari.

Doli denied that this clause was discussed during a number of meetings between Commission II and the KPU at the time. He challenged the KPU to be transparent regarding the alleged smuggling of this clause into official Commission II meetings.

“If they really want it to be disclosed, then let’s disclose it, that’s all. And I’m ready. Let’s show the public which of these was not smuggled in and which actually was,” said Doli at the Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (12 October).

Meanwhile, Hasyim had previously referred to Doli’s claim that he had never discussed Article 18 with the KPU. At that time, Doli was serving as Chair of Commission II of the House of Representatives.

According to Hasyim, Article 18(3) of PKPU 19/2023 is the shared responsibility of all meeting participants. Hasyim urged the DKPP, in examining the complaint regarding the inclusion of Article 18(3) of PKPU 19/2023, to be fair, proportionate, cautious and to avoid any conflict of interest.

He also quoted a Hadith of the Prophet, narrated by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim from Abu Hurairah, concerning hypocrites.

“Therefore, on this occasion, I would like to appeal to all parties: it is acceptable to forget, but do not be hypocritical,” he said.