Tazkia Royyan Hikmatiar – Hundreds of figures have joined together to issue a "Proclamation of Struggle" (Maklumat Juanda) as an expression of concern over a Constitutional Court's (MK) ruling on Monday October 16 on the age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Although the court's ruling is final and binding, the signatories said that the proclamation still needs to be issued to warn the public that an abuse of power has occurred with this ruling that paves the way for political dynasties.
"Our hope is that the public can see more clearly how the abuse of power is happening before their eyes", proclamation spokesperson and Amnesty International Executive Director Usman Hamid told reporters.
With this ruling, he even quoted the words of former Constitutional Court chief justice Jimly Asshiddiqie who said that totalitarianism is already before our eyes in the era of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's leadership.
"So there is no longer a separation between executive power and legislative power, there is no opposition any more", he said.
"All of them are building a collusive alliance even though right now they are competing [for the 2024 elections], but actually almost the entire period of Jokowi's administration has shown that the political parties have built collusive alliance to take economic and political resources from the state", said Hamid in conclusion.
The signatories of the Proclamation of Struggle come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from professors, lecturers, religions figures, culturists, former ambassadors, former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioners, national athletes, lawyers, journalists, educational figures, human rights and environmental activists, producers, artists, literacy activists, literature, theater, art and film figures, to figures from Widodo's volunteer support groups.
Meanwhile the names of those listed in the Proclamation include, among others, Goenawan Mohamad, Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, Karlina Supelli, Butet Kartaredjasa, Allisa Wahid, Proffessor (Emeritus) Mayling Oey-Gardiner, Proffessor Sulistyowati Irianto, Proffessor Riris K. Toha Sarumpaet, Proffessor Daldiyono Hardjodisastro, Proffessor Manneke Budiman, Yanuar Nugroho and Henny Supolo.
In addition to this, there is also Natalia Soebagjo, Oma Komaria Madjid, Rosiana Tendean, Betti Alisjahbana, Faisal Basri, Saiful Mujani, Todung Mulya Lubis, Ikrar Nusa Bhakti, Usman Hamid, F. Budi Hardiman, Ulil Abshar Abdalla, Joko Anwar, Laksmi Pamuntjak, Tosca Santoso, Ayu Utami, Sandra Hamid, Zumrotin K. Susilo, S. Indro Tjahjono, Helmy Fauzi, Ifdhal Kasim, Reverend Saut Sirait, Stanislaus Sunardi and Warih Wisatsana.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Ratusan Tokoh Sampaikan Maklumat Juanda, Sebut Putusan MK Penyelewengan Kekuasaan".]
