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President Joko Widodo is still going strong as he nears the end of his term of office in October. Supporting parties are trying to ensure he remains relevant in the political arena after he is no longer president. After failing to extend his term by revising the constitution for a three-term presidency, there is now a new path through the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA).
This was an institution that during the New Order regime was tasked with advising the president. It was dissolved in 2003 due to its ineffectiveness. The DPA was then renamed the Presidential Advisory Board. Now, there is an effort to revive it through a revision of the Presidential Advisory Board Law.
Several members of the House of Representatives (DPR) wanted to reinstate the DPA as a state institution. In the draft revision, its position was changed from a governmental institution to a state institution at the same level as the presidency. But is the president not the highest state institution?
It is not clear what was behind this desire by DPR members. However, the proposal for the change came from the coalition supporting Prabowo Subianto. Of course, the parties backing him also support Jokowi because the President’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is now Prabowo’s deputy.
The DPA is a way to accommodate former presidents. Besides Jokowi, Prabowo’s supporters include Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Initially, Yudhoyono’s Democrat Party hoped to form a coalition with Anies Baswedan. However, the former Jakarta Governor chose PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar as his running mate in the presidential election. The Democrats then sided with Prabowo after failing to join the PDI-P camp.
This then led to the proposal of forming a presidential club comprising former presidents. The problem is that the DPA no longer has the same format as the Presidential Advisory Board, with its limited membership. There will be no restrictions on the number of members of the DPA, and they can come from various backgrounds. This means that Prabowo will be able to appoint anybody he likes to the council, including those critical of his government. Jokowi managed to ‘muzzle’ his critics with offers of tempting positions.
Therefore, many legal experts oppose the revival of the DPA, regardless of its design. Besides wasting state funds, the DPA could serve as a platform for supporters of power to gain positions. Moreover, in a presidential system, the president has full authority over policies. The president can ignore the DPA’s advice.
Hence, rather than creating an ineffective DPA, Prabowo Subianto would be better off forming a council composed of critics. Let them oversee and criticize government policies to ensure checks and balances. When the DPR’s function is dulled by coalition interests, the DPA could revitalize democracy.
In our editorial, we refer to this new body as the Great Critics Council because democracy is beautiful if power is kept under control. Enjoy the magazine.
Bagja Hidayat
Deputy Chief Editor
Cover Story
The Plan to Revive of the Supreme Advisory Council
Jokowi and Prabowo Subianto plan to revive the Supreme Advisory Council. Is it true that Jokowi will become its chair?
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Jamaah Islamiyah’s Dissolution
The idea of dissolving Jamaah Islamiyah emerged over the past few years. The group is learning about jihad from new books and foreign Islamic scholars.
Science & Technology
The World’s Oldest Cave Paintings
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Interview
IDI Chief: Foreign Doctors Cannot Enter Indiscriminately
Chair of IDI, Mohammad Adib Khumaidi, discusses the polemic over the plan to allow foreign doctors to practice in Indonesia. He emphasizes stringent regulations are necessary.
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