Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The House of Representatives is forming a legal team to defend the newly enacted law that regulates the 2014 legislative elections against challenges by political parties.
Marzuki Alie, the House speaker, said the passage of the law was a long and often difficult process, and lawmakers were prepared to defend their work.
Speaking at Monday's plenary session that marked the lawmakers' first day back to work after a recess, Marzuki also said any court challenges could derail preparations for the elections.
"Preparations for the 2014 elections must not be hindered," the speaker said. "The House has to be prepared [for challenges] by forming a legal team that will represent the House's interests and offer context to all the issues that went into the passage of the law."
Just days after it was enacted last month, former Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihra Mahendra, a co-founder of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), filed a motion with the Constitutional Court seeking amendments to the law.
The law increased the legislative threshold from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent while maintaining an open electoral system and the method of using all votes in electoral areas.
Smaller parties have protested the higher threshold, which requires parties to secure at least 3.5 percent of the total national vote to take a seat in the House. They say it unfairly punishes parties that may not have the same level of funding as the big parties. The PBB failed to reach the old elector threshold in the 2009 elections.
Yusril is also representing the Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU), the Regional Unity Party (PPD) and other parties in the legal motion.
While some major parties, including the Golkar Party, say the 3.5 percent threshold is too low, smaller parties have argued it violates the Constitution by keeping people's chosen representatives from the House.
The 2.5 percent threshold for the 2009 elections only allowed nine parties to gain seats. Small parties fear the 3.5 percent threshold will permanently block them from the legislature. It is not clear if the Constitutional Court will agree to hear Yusril's challenge.
Marzuki said a revision of the law would further complicate preparations for the 2014 elections, which are already off to a late start after all the delays in the enactment of the original law.
The House speaker said lawmakers were deliberating a new law on gubernatorial and district head elections that would replace existing legislation.
In his address to lawmakers on Monday, Marzuki said there was a need for regulations on district heads and governors jumping to positions in other regions.
He pointed to the upcoming gubernatorial election in Jakarta, which is scheduled for July 11. Among the six candidates running for the top position in Jakarta are the current governor of South Sumatra, Alex Noerdin, and mayor of Solo, Joko Widodo.
"This needs to be regulated in a new law dealing with the eligibility of people holding office in one region to run for office in another," Marzuki said. "In particular, we need to address their responsibility to the voters in their original region."