UPDATES WITH PARLIAMENT’S DECISION TO DROP LAW, CHANGES HEADER, LEDE, DECK
ANKARA (AA) - The Indonesian parliament on Thursday dropped plans to revise the controversial local election law following nationwide student protests that accused political parties of attempting to manipulate the law to allow President Joko Widodo’s son, Kaesang Pangarep, to run in the gubernatorial election.
Parliament Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad confirmed that the proposed amendment was not included on the agenda of the plenary session earlier in the day, local English daily Jakarta Globe reported.
The development came after protest rallies were held in the capital Jakarta and other parts of the country against the proposed changes in the election law that seek to override two court rulings on candidate nomination requirements for the November regional elections.
The Constitutional Court, earlier this week, upheld the current law, which sets a minimum age of 30 for gubernatorial, mayoral, and regency candidates. Kaesang, who turns 30 in December, would be ineligible under this ruling.
The proposed changes would have paved the way for Kaesang to run for the gubernatorial election.
The move has triggered a social media campaign, with tens of hundreds of Indonesians sharing a blue picture saying “Emergency Warning” to register their protest.