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.
PDI-P has won three consecutive victories in Indonesian legislative elections. Mdm Megawati, the daughter of Indonesia's founding father Mr Sukarno, is known as an influential power broker.
Mr Widodo had been backed by the PDI-P from the beginning of his political career as mayor of Surakarta and subsequently as the governor of Jakarta in 2012.
The furniture businessman won the presidency twice, in 2014 and 2019, with the help of PDI-P's party machinery and a personal nomination from Mdm Megawati.
But the relationship was also alleged to be in trouble in 2022 with Mdm Megawati's intention to nominate her daughter, speaker of the house, Puan Maharani as the PDI-P presidential nominee instead of pursuing Mr Widodo's reported third term ambition.
Faced with rejection from his political patron regarding a third term, Mr Widodo partnered with his former presidential rival-turned-ally, defence minister Prabowo Subianto, by nominating Mr Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the mayor of Solo and Jokowi's eldest son, as Mr Prabowo's vice-presidential running mate.
Mr Gibran's candidacy was made possible by a controversial top court ruling presided over by his uncle, former Chief Justice Anwar Usman.
Previously, Indonesia's election law mandated that all presidential and vice-presidential candidates be at least 40 years old.
However, the constitutional court amended this clause, allowing candidates elected to regional posts to stand in the presidential election regardless of age, paving the way for the 36-year-old Mr Gibran to enter the race.
After this, Mr Widodo's relationship with Mdm Megawati soured further.
As party member Mr Widodo openly supported PDI-P's presidential nominee Mr Ganjar Pranowo.
But he tacitly endorsed Mr Prabowo during the presidential election campaigns, further incensing the PDI-P. Many of Jokowi's critics accused him and his supporters of misusing government institutions and state-sponsored social assistance programs to benefit Mr Prabowo.
Mr Prabowo won the presidential election by a landslide, beating Mr Ganjar and another challenger, Mr Anies Baswedan. He will succeed Mr Widodo on Oct 20.
The PDI-P recently confirmed that the outgoing president, Mr Gibran and Jokowi's son-in-law, mayor of Medan, Bobby Nasution, are no longer members of the party.
Mr Agung Baskoro, Executive Director of the political consulting firm Trias Politika Strategis, told CNA that Mdm Megawati's statements about her personal relationship with Mr Widodo are accurate.
"Their personal relationship is completely fine. However, there is a clash in their institutional interests concerning the Solo Clique, the third presidential term, the court's decision on Mr Gibran, and the political dynasty for the upcoming local election," Mr Agung explained.
The Solo Clique, also known as the Solo Gang, refers to an informal group of politicians who enjoy a close personal and political relationship with Mr Widodo, who was born in the city.
They rose to political prominence and have been serving alongside Mr Widodo since his tenure as mayor of the Central Java city.
Tempo Magazine and The Jakarta Post recently reported that Mr Widodo might issue a presidential decree to prevent the legislative election winner, which in this case is PDI-P, from holding the House speakership.
This comes amid reports that Jokowi has been unhappy about the PDI-P decision in July to extend the term of Mdm Megawati's party leadership until 2025 and bring in new faces who have openly criticised Mr Widodo.
These included Mr Ganjar, former Jakarta governor Mr Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok, and current House member and outspoken pro-democracy activist Mr Adian Napitupulu.
Mr Agung noted it is unlikely there will be an institutional reconciliation in the near future between Mr Widodo and Mdm Megawati.
"PDI-P is extremely disappointed with Jokowi and how he turned against them," Mr Agung concluded.
– Additional reporting by Ericssen.
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/megawati-jokowi-pdip-indonesia-president-453211