Public Lecture on Socialization of Four Pillars of MPR RI with Student Executive Board of Faculty of Law UIN Jakarta, MPR RI Chairman Bamsoet Encourages Election System Review

Tangerang, UIN Online News - The Chairman of MPR RI and Vice Chairman of the Golkar Party, Bambang Soesatyo, revealed that according to data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), only about 87 young legislative candidates under 40 years old have a chance to get seats in the DPR RI, which is approximately 15 percent of the total 575 seats. This 15 percent is very low, as in the 2009 election, the number of elected young candidates reached 23.2 percent.

The low number of elected young candidates is also very ironic, considering that 53-55 percent or about 107-108 million voters in the 2024 election will be under 40 years old. This low percentage of young candidates being elected is also due to the high political costs that candidates have to bear when competing in electoral districts.

"Therefore, a comprehensive improvement of the national political system is needed, especially in the implementation of elections to align with Pancasila as the nation's identity. Specifically, the fourth principle, Democracy led by the wisdom of deliberations among representatives," said Bamsoet during the Socialization of the Four Pillars of MPR RI with the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Sharia and Law UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, in Tangerang, Tuesday (21/5/24).

Attendees included the Dean of the Faculty of Sharia and Law UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Prof. Muhammad Maksum, Vice Dean III of the Faculty of Sharia and Law UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Prof. Kamarusdiana, and the Chairman of the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Sharia and Law UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Ahmed Najhan Arrohim.

The 20th Chairman of the DPR RI and former Chairman of Commission III of DPR RI in the fields of Law, Human Rights, and Security explained that besides political issues, the availability of job opportunities is also a challenge that needs to be addressed to maximize the potential of young people. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) records that nearly 10 million or about 22.25 percent of Generation Z aged 15-24 years old are not engaged in any activities, whether in work, education, or training.

"Other data from Kompas Research and Development shows that if the Gen Z data is combined with the 25-29 age group, 66 percent of young people do not have any activities. This means that 2 out of 3 productive young people under 30 years old are unemployed or not engaged in any activities," Bamsoet explained.

The Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Alumni Association of Doctoral Law Studies UNPAD and Head of the Political, Legal, and Security Affairs of KADIN Indonesia stated that these various problems cannot be ignored. They must be a priority for the Prabowo-Gibran administration to resolve.

"The abundant productive age population, aged 16 to 30 years, reaching 64.16 million people or equivalent to 23.18 percent, if not matched with adequate job opportunities, can result in disaster. Similarly, if this large number of productive age population consists of unqualified and non-competitive human resources, they will become a burden to development," Bamsoet concluded.

(PIH/Faadhila Idris)