"We support the KPU to achieve corruption-free election results, but I think it is not wise to insist on banning former corruption convicts from exercising their basic rights as citizens to nominate themselves for membership of the legislative body," Soesatyo said in a press statement released on Monday.
He said Law No.7 of 2017 on General Elections stipulated that those who had served jail sentences for five years or more could nominate themselves for membership of the legislative body if they made public the cases that sent them to jail.
He shared the view of the Deputy Chief of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Saud Situmorang, that political parties could nominate former corruption convicts if they met certain conditions.
The conditions include admitting that they were former corruption convicts, declaring the length of their jail term, repenting their wrongdoings, displaying good conduct during their time in jail, and committing themselves not to repeat their misdeeds.
"The law guarantees the rights of every citizen including former convicts. It is for the court to decide whether or not a citizen loses his/her political right. The matter cannot be decided by a regulation that has lower rank than law," Soesatyo said.
He said if KPU insisted on issuing the regulation it would violate the law. The policy would rob citizens of their basic right to choose or to be chosen in the elections, he added.
Reported by Imam Budilaksono
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(T.S012/B/KR-BSR/F001)
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Editor: Heru Purwanto
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