Prabowo Responds to PPHN, Emphasizes Legal Product Type

The Vice Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) of Indonesia, Eddy Soeparno, has revealed President Prabowo Subianto's directive regarding the State Policy Guidelines (Pokok-Pokok Haluan Negara, or PPHN). According to Soeparno, the MPR has completed its deliberations on the PPHN and is ready to move to the next phase. Soeparno stated that the MPR presented its findings on the PPHN to President Prabowo on August 3. During the meeting, the President requested that the MPR first clarify "through what legal product the PPHN will be made a legitimate legal product for the future," as reported by Soeparno at the parliament complex on Thursday (6/8). Currently, the MPR is considering three options for the PPHN's legal product: the Constitution (UUD), an MPR Decree (TAP MPR), or a Law (undang-undang). Among these, the options of amending the Constitution or issuing an MPR Decree are gaining traction due to their stronger legal standing compared to a regular law. Soeparno indicated that given the PPHN's role as a strategic direction for national development, it would be legally preferable to enshrine it in the Constitution or through an MPR Decree. However, the MPR has not yet decided between these two options. Soeparno mentioned that this decision would be returned to the MPR's research body. He also stated that no deadline has been set for the decision on the PPHN's legal product, although he believes the process will not take too long. Soeparno conveyed that President Prabowo has, in principle, accepted and approved the MPR's report on the PPHN. "In principle, the President responded positively to our report on the completion of deliberations regarding the PPHN within the research body," Soeparno said. The PPHN is designed to be a legal document outlining the strategic policy direction and national development guidelines across presidencies or administrations in Indonesia. It is intended to serve a similar function to the former State Policy Guidelines (Garis-Garis Besar Haluan Negara, or GBHN) implemented during the "Guided Democracy" era under President Sukarno and the "New Order" under President Suharto. Before the reform era, GBHN was stipulated by the MPR, then the highest state institution, and presidents were mandated to implement it. However, following amendments to the 1945 Constitution, which also changed the MPR's status, GBHN was abolished and its function was replaced by laws governing national development planning and the National Long-Term Development Plan (RJPN). The formulation of the PPHN was a recommendation from the 2014-2019 MPR term. At that time, it was planned to be incorporated into the 1945 Constitution through a limited amendment. Later, discussions also emerged about regulating the PPHN through other methods such as MPR Decrees and laws. Source: CNN Indonesia