Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) accompanied by 10 political parties filed a judicial review case on Article 202 paragraph (1) of Act No. 10/2008 about General Election for Members of House of Representatives, City Council, and Regional House of Representatives (Act on General Election) regarding to the stipulation about 2.5 % Election Vote limit to attain a seat in the Parliament, Wednesday (14/1), at the Press Conference Room of the Constitutional Court (The Court).

The Legal Aid Foundation, through its Head, Patra M. Zen, became the Legal Counsels for 10 political parties, Democracy Development Party (PDP), Patriot Party (PP), Region Union Party (PPD),  National People Care Party (PPRN), Welfare Indonesia Party (PIS), National Bull For People Party (PNBK), New Indonesian Struggle Party (PPIB), Struggle and Work Party (Pakar Pangan), People Conscience Party (Hanura) and Indonesian Democracy and Care Party (PKDI), 179 members of legislative candidates and 234 members of the parties.

At the same event, a representative from PDP, Didik Supriyanto, pointed out that the reason behind the filing of the case was the castration of people s rights, because by implementing the 2.5% regulation, there would be some votes lost. “Even one vote should be considered; however, with the 2.5% limit, lacking one vote would cause an elimination to the entire votes. Of course this will hurt the people who has cast their votes,” explained Didik.

Apart from the reasons above, according to the Petitioners, the 2.5% parliamentary threshold regulation has injured three basic values in law; egality, freedom, and solidarity, besides taking a different direction from the spirit of reformation which is based on democracy and justice.

Didik also added that the parliamentary threshold regulation was a manifestation of political interest of big parties which were confident to gain more than 2.5 %. Actually, it was possible that those major parties to get less than 2.5 %. “The stipulation is intended for big parties with their members sitting as the lawmakers to get more seats which actually could be, and possibly, attained by a candidate member of the Parliament from parties which fails to meet the 2.5 % minimum requirement” he pointed out. (Nina Afrianti)

Photo: Doc. of CCRI PR /Yoga Adiputra

Translated by Yogi Djatnika / CCRI