He reminded parliament members to prioritize the handling of COVID-19 and focus on bringing about economic recovery rather than deliberating on the constitutional amendment.
"We should prevent the public from labelling parliament members as opportunistic because of our intent to amend the Constitution amid the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing economic pressure," Gaus stated in Jakarta, Wednesday.
The proposed constitutional amendment should be conducted in a meticulous manner, with the public’s aspirations and suggestions being taken into account to ensure that the amendment would be beneficial to the people, according to Gaus.
"Our Constitution is open for amendment, but we need to remember that it should be conducted following a comprehensive and meticulous study with its intention and justification clearly indicated," he explained.
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He called on members of parliament (MPs) to be alert, as the public was concerned that other constitutional articles might be amended, especially those regarding presidential term limits.
According to Gaus, the constitutional amendment to include the PPHN was unnecessary, as the parliament had enacted a law on the long-term national development plan with a similar function as the PPHN.
"Law No. 17 of 2007 on the Long-term National Development Plan is currently under evaluation by the National Development Planning Board deliberating the implementation plan for the 2025-2050 period. This law has detailed goals and targets for Indonesia's development and is more concrete than the PPHN," he expounded.
The proposed amendment is yet to be endorsed by most parliamentary fractions as majority of the factions opined that Law No. 17 of 2007 had sufficed the need for a long-term development plan, he noted.
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Translator: Imam B, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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