M. Taufiqurrahman and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The President on Friday denied backing a clause in a new political bill requiring presidential candidates have at least a bachelor's degree in an attempt to thwart his rivals in the 2009 presidential election.
Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono did not propose the new educational requirement, which would replace the current law requiring only that presidential candidates be at least high school graduates.
"The President adheres to Law No. 23/2003 on presidential elections, which stipulates that candidates are required to be at least high school graduates," Sudi said during a press briefing on the issue.
He said the President in no way was attempting to block any parties from contesting the presidential election.
Sudi emphasized the bachelor's degree requirement in the new political bill was never presented to the President by the Home Ministry, which drafted the bill.
Several political parties have objected to the educational requirement in the bill, accusing Yudhoyono of attempting to shut out potential rivals in the 2009 election.
If the bill was passed in its current form it could affect two potential candidates seen as posing possible threats to Yudhoyono in 2009. They are former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), who dropped out of college, and another former president, Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who did not complete his college education in the Middle East.
Some critics have slammed the bill as discriminatory, pointing out that only about 10 percent of the country's estimated 220 million citizens are college graduates. They say it also ignores the fact that some of the country's former leaders did not have college degree.
Former president Soeharto did not have a bachelor's degree, only receiving military education during the Japanese occupation. Some critics have said that even if Yudhoyono was not directly involved in the new educational requirement, it represents a political move by the Home Ministry to boost the President's reelection chances.
Responding to the controversy, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the political bill must refer to the Constitution, which is silent on educational requirements for state leaders.
"The Constitution only states that the primary requirement is having a good education. College or high school diploma, it's no big deal. But if the current law states that it's high school then it has to be a high school graduate," Kalla told reporters.
Joining the debate, Megawati said no artificial restraints should be placed on candidates, and that it should be left entirely up to voters to decide on their leaders.
"The answer is simple. Leave it to the people to decide who they will vote for. That's the good thing about having a direct presidential election," Megawati was quoted as saying by Detik.com newsportal.
Megawati's husband, Taufik Kiemas, who is also a central board member with the PDI-P, said that rather than working to bolster his chances for reelection, Yudhoyono should focus on the business of the nation.
"Take action and do it now," Taufik, also a PDI-P legislator, told reporters at the House of Representatives.