Indonesia lawmakers shelve plan to change election law as protests rage

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s legislature will not ratify changes to election rules during the current government’s term, its deputy speaker said on Thursday (Aug 22), as demonstrations flared outside parliament and security forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.
Sufmi Dasco Ahmad told Reuters deliberations will continue in the parliament’s next sitting period, meaning it would not apply to this year’s elections or under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who leaves office in October.
Security forces fired tear gas and water cannon as protesters breached and set ablaze part of the gates of parliament, television footage showed, while demonstrations broke out across the country against planned changes to an elections law.
Parliamentary allies of Jokowi had sought to reverse a court ruling on the law, which if successful would block a vocal government critic of the president from running for the important post of Jakarta governor.
The move also would have paved the way for Jokowi’s youngest son to run in elections in Central Java this November.
Thousands gathered outside parliament carrying signs accusing president Joko Widodo of destroying democracy, while others carried a mock guillotine bearing his face.
The protests were sparked by a battle over which government agency has the authority to determine electoral laws.
The parliament had planned on Thursday to ratify changes to the law that would have reversed a decision by the constitutional court earlier this week.
Parliament initially postponed its plan amid the widespread outcry, saying its plenary session did not meet the quorum, before officially shelving the plan later on Thursday.
The power struggle between the parliament and the court has sparked anger across the world’s third-largest democracy, with Jokowi facing mounting criticism about what analysts say are attempts to consolidate his power before he steps down this October.
Jokowi, who has served the maximum two terms, will be replaced by president-elect Prabowo Subianto and vice-president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Jokowi’s eldest son, on Oct 20.