Kaesang Isn’t Old Enough to Run for the Jakarta Gubernatorial Election, Will the Law Be Revised?

JAKARTA – Daily Chairman of the Gerindra Party DPP Sufmi Dasco Ahmad encouraged Budisatrio Djiwandono and Kaesang Parangep forward in Jakarta Pilkada 2024 .The two of them were paired as candidates for governor and deputy governor.

“Budisatrio Djiwandono – Kaesang Pangarep For Jakarta 2024,” wrote Dasco in the caption column for uploading a photo on his Instagram account, Wednesday (29/5/2024) evening.

Budi Djiwandono and Kaesang Pangarep are not just anyone. Both are representatives of two current Indonesian political figures, President-Elect Prabowo Subianto and President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). Budi is the son of Sudrajad Djiwandono and Biantiningsih Miderawati Djojohadikusumo. Bianti is Prabowo Subianto’s eldest sister, so Budisatrio is Prabowo’s nephew. Meanwhile, Kaesang Pangarep is President Jokowi’s youngest son.

If this duet materializes, it will be a political continuation of the 2024 presidential election, where Prabowo Subianto is paired with Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is President Jokowi’s eldest son or Kaesang’s older brother. This pair won the 2024 presidential election by winning 58% of the voter vote.

However, the Budi Djiwandono-Kaesang Pangarep pairing does not seem to be easy to realize. Because, according to regulations, Kaesang does not meet the age requirements as a candidate for regional head at the provincial level. Kaesang, who was born on December 25 1994, is not yet 30 years old. Even though the regulations require candidates for governor and deputy governor to be at least 30 years old.

This provision is contained in Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 1 of 2015 concerning the Establishment of Government Regulations in Lieu of Law Number 1 of 2014 concerning the Election of Governors, Regents and Mayors, with a minimum age requirement for cawagub-cawagub 30 years. Article 7 paragraph (2) letter e states: the minimum age is 30 (thirty) years for Governor Candidates and Deputy Governor Candidates and 25 (twenty five) years for Regent Candidates and Deputy Regent Candidates as well as Mayor Candidates and Deputy Mayor Candidates .

Based on these regulations, Kaesang cannot be registered as a candidate in the gubernatorial election. However, reflecting on the 2024 presidential election, this opportunity still exists if the regulations are revised through a Judicial Review at the Constitutional Court (MK). Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Kaesang’s older brother, who is still 36 years old, was finally able to run as a vice presidential candidate (cawapres) after the Constitutional Court added the conditions for nominating president and vice president to Article 169 letter q of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections. The Constitutional Court stated that someone who is not yet 40 years old can run as a presidential or vice presidential candidate as long as they have experience as a regional head or other position chosen through elections.

“Declaring that Article 169 letter q of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections is contrary to the 1945 Constitution as long as it is not interpreted as ’40 years old, or has/is currently holding a position elected through general elections including regional head elections’,” said the Chairman MK Anwar Usman read out the decision on the judicial review regarding the age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates in case number 90/PUU-XXI/2023, Monday 16 October 2023.

Supported by Raffi Ahmad

The Budi Djiwandono-Kaesang Pangarep duet was supported by renowned artist Raffi Ahmad. Nagita Slavina’s husband uploaded the same photo as Dasco at almost the same time.

“Mas @budidjiwandono and Mas @kaesangp For Jakarta Mangaaaaaaat Young People,” wrote Raffi Ahmad.

“Support Mas @budidjiwandono and Mas @kaesangp For Jakarta,” wrote Raffi Ahmad again.

The uploaded photo received a high response from the public. To date, Raffi Ahmad’s upload has received 164,000 likes and more than 10,000 comments. Meanwhile on Dasco’s account, the same upload has received 6,600 likes and 495 comments.

(abd)