The definition of General Election on UUD 1945 has developed after the Decree of Constitutional Court (MK) on Judicial Review of Law No. 42/2008 on General Election of President and Vice President, article 3 paragraph (5), article 9, article 12 paragraph (1) and (2), article14 paragraph (2), article 112. MK decided that election of legislative members, president, and vice president is conducted simultaneously and it is applied in general election 2019. In a national seminar organized by Constitutional and Governmental Study Center (PK2P) of Law Faculty of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) on Saturday (17/10) at A.R. Fachruddin A, Floor 5, the keynote speaker Dr. Anwar Usman, S.H., M.H. who is also the Vice Chairman of Constitutional Court (MK) expected that the simultaneous general election will be political education for Indonesian people to live democratically.
The simultaneous general election aims at reinforcing presidential system as constitutional system design written on UUD 1945 post-amendment. The election is also expected to coin efficiency in several aspects. First, it may save state budget for conducting elections so that the budget can be can be used for state development like prospering the people. Second, it may diminish time wasting, conflicts, and issues in public. “Third, it can be political education for the people to employ their right vigorously. In fact, MK decided the simultaneous general election based on systematical and dramatic thought,” he stated.
According to Dr. Anwar Usman, the development of democracy and general election in Indonesia should be viewed positively since it can bear complexity of system. The election is dealing with not only the election process but also coping with the election conflicts. “To succeed the election needs cooperation of all state elements like General Election Commission (KPU), Bwaslu, DKPP, police, attorney, court, and MK so that sovereignty can be maintained,” he emphasized.
He inserted that general election participants have to understand their position in either legislative or executive. They ought to be responsible for it in both this world and hereafter. “The responsibility is not simple because they should be responsible for all their duties when they live in this world and hereafter,” he added.
Moreover, Vice Dean and Law Faculty of UMY Muktar Zuhdy, S.H., M.H. affirmed that the national seminar could be a political forum for academicians since their involvement in elevating people’s sense of democracy. “Flaws of democracy often occur in public like money politic. Hence, the simultaneous election is expected to reduce the flows and to coin qualified and accountable general election,” he wished.
