REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said former corruption convicts still have their rights to be elected members of legislative body. The Constitution gives them that right, the president said after closing a ceremony of Ramadhan reciting of Koranic verses held by PP Muhammadiyah at the Muhammadiyah University here on Tuesday.
The president, apparently did not want to be involved in that controversial issue saying, "it is an area of the General Election Commission (KPU) to study the legality of its plan".
KPU Commissioner Viryan stated that the draft on ban against former corruption convicts to contest in legislative elections has been completed. The draft will be sent to the Ministry of Legal and Human Rights in the next few days.
"This is our effort to realize substantial democracy," Viryan said to Republika.co.id, on Tuesday (May 29).
The plan have drawn wide public sympathy and support especially from anti corruption activities including the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) but at the same time KPU is strongly warned by the Election Watch Dog (Bawaslu), the Parliament even the government that KPU is going too far beyond its authority against the state constitution if it follows through with its plan.