From an oped piece in Kompas.com tilted Why are regional heads corrupt? Because there's a defective process when they're nominated.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – It is claimed that the direct election of regional heads does indeed still have many deficiencies, one of which is the many elected regional heads who are caught up in corruption cases.

But returning to the indirect election of regional heads like the New Order era of former president Suharto is not seen as a solution to resolve corrupt practices by regional heads.

House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II Deputy Chairperson Saan Mustopa believes that the problem of corrupt regional heads can actually be overcome if there is a commitment from the political party elite not to burden candidates with a massive mahar or bride-price – referring to the large sums of money which have to be paid to political parties by candidates in order to be nominated to run in a regional election.

Mustopa claims that corrupt regional heads cannot be separated from the defective practices when a candidate regional head wants to be nominated by a political party. This, according to Mustopa, must be dispensed with.

"It's a consequence of the transactional politics being too big, right. For example related to mahar", said Mustopa when contacted on Tuesday October 11.

"Why for example to they do it (corruption)? Because of there's a defective process. A defective process when they want to step forward [to be nominated]", he said.

Read the full article here: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2022/10/13/07315421/kenapa-kepala-daerah-korupsi-karena-ada-proses-yang-salah-saat-mereka-mau