JAKARTA: Indonesian legislators have canceled plans to ratify revisions to election laws, according to the deputy speaker of parliament, following mass protests in front of the parliament building.
On Thursday, Parliament was set to overturn a Constitutional Court ruling regarding candidate age requirements for upcoming regional elections, a move that would have disqualified President Joko Widodo’s 29-year-old son, Kaesang Pangarep, from running.
If implemented, the changes could have bolstered the political influence of the outgoing president. Critics argued that the revisions were an attempt to establish a political dynasty.
However, with thousands of protesters gathered outside, legislators postponed an emergency session. Later, the deputy speaker announced that the proposed changes would be shelved for this election cycle, signaling a significant reversal.
“It was officially decided that the revision of the Regional Election Law could not proceed. This means that the revision today was canceled,” Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, told reporters following the clashes.
Protesters set tires on fire, ignited firecrackers, and chanted slogans against Widodo, known as Jokowi.
Indonesian police responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators, who had attempted to storm the parliament building by tearing down a section of the fence and throwing rocks at police.
Protests also erupted in Yogyakarta, Makassar, Bandung, and Semarang. Widodo’s office sought to quell the unrest, with spokesman Hasan Nasbi urging the public to avoid disinformation and slander that could incite chaos and violence.
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