"The general elections law must be ensure the creation of an honest and fair democracy," Jokowi said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has given an assurance that the government-proposed revision of the general election law will not be delayed due to short-term political interests.
"The general elections law must be ensure the creation of an honest and fair democracy," Jokowi said while chairing a limited meeting to discuss the general elections bill at the Presidential Office here on Tuesday.
The president noted that since the reform movement was launched nearly 18 years ago, the election law, including the law on the membership of the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD), and Regional Representative Council, and the president and vice president election law have been amended several times.
"Even as I have observed, the elections law is amended whenever general elections will be held," he said.
Jokowi said the planned amendment in the elections law is a necessity because it is in tandem with a change in the administrative system, as well as with efforts to improve the quality of democracy.
The president further said the election bill will require new regulations to adjust to the Constitutional Court's decision that the legislative elections and the presidential elections are held at the same time.
"To that end, I want the substance of the government-proposed election bill to simplify and harmonize the three separate laws," he noted.
The three laws that will be combined are the DPR, DPRD and DPD members' election law, the presidential and vice presidential election law and the general election law.
"Likewise, I want to stress that the spirit of enacting the new election law is not merely to follow up on the Constitutional Courts decision, but also to improve the substance of the law based on our experience in the previous elections," the president explained. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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