DPD Members Should Consider the Domicile Principle of the Candidates for Their New Members

In Article 152 of the Election Law Bill, it is stated that any member of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) or the lower house of the Parliament shall be any Indonesian citizen of at least 21 year-old and living within the territory of the Indonesia Republic. This is clearly violating the Constitutional Court’s (MK) Decision No.1-/PUU-VI/2008 which states that any DPD member shall be living within the regional province that he or she represented.

“Member of DPD should be living in the province that he or she represented. However, in Article 152 of the Bill, it is stated that DPD member is anyone who is living any region in Indonesia. DPD should criticize this regulation. This is important,” says the Executive Director of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), Titi Anggraini, during a public discussion titled “Revitalize the Role and Position of DPD” in Jakarta (03/07).

In addition, Titi also says that the request made by members of DPD to increase the number of of DPD member per province from four to five is unnecessary. DPD members should understand that DPD is representing regional area, not voters like the National Parliament (DPR).

“Four representatives per province is already enough. We don’t need more DPD members,” says Titi.

Titi hopes DPD members are able to fulfill the mandate given to them by the Constitution. Members of DPD should be brave to support or reject a regulation proposal even though they do not have any veto rights. DPD should also be able to provide regional perspective and insights in their decision.