Jakarta – A number of political parties, the government and the General Elections Commission (KPU) have responded to the discourse initiated by President Prabowo Subianto who proposed that regional heads be chosen by Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) rather than through direct elections.
The majority of political parties agree with Prabowo's initiative and consider direct elections to be expensive and costly.
The discourse was initiated by Prabowo because he believes that elections through the DPRD would be more efficient. He took examples from several neighbouring countries that are seen as practicing this successfully.
"I see that our neighbouring countries are efficient, Malaysia, Singapore, India, vote once for DPRD members, vote once, yes, after this it's the DPRD that chooses the governor, chooses the regent", Prabowo said in a speech at the climax of the 60th anniversary of the Golkar Party in Sentul on Thursday December 12.
The following are the responses by various parties to the discourse based on a summary by CNN Indonesia.
PDI-P hopes government won't rush decision
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Central Leadership Board (DPP) Chairperson Ganjar Pranowo hopes that the government will not be in a rush to follow up on the discourse. He hopes that the government will conduct a deeper discussion to study the idea.
"So if now there are other thoughts, it's better to invite stakeholders. Ojo kesusu (don't rush it)", said Pranowo in a statement on Friday December 13.
He alluded to direct elections because of the problems when regional heads are chosen by the DPRD. He said there was an argument that if regional heads are chosen by the DPRD it does not represent the will of the people because support for candidates is traded.
"No matter what system you want to use if the respective stakeholders don't want to follow the rules or the enforcers of the rules are weak, the results will be bad", he said.
PKS says direct elections expensive, divisive
Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) Advisory Board Chairperson Tifatul Sembiring personally agrees with Prabowo's idea. He reasons that direct elections are too expensive and divide the community.
"My personal opinion is that I agree, regency and municipal Pilkada [election of regional heads] carried out via the DPRD", Sembiring told CNN Indonesia Friday
PKB claims has long supported proposal
National Awakening Party (PKB) Central Leadership Board Daily Manager Ais Syafiah Ashar claims that his party has long pushed for regional heads to be chosen by the DPRD.
Ashar believes that that a governor's duties and functions are more like an extension of the central government down to the regencies and municipalities, not as the executive head who had full autonomy over a regency or city.
Therefore, he feels the budget for gubernatorial elections (Pilgub) should be allocated to other needs that better target people's needs.
"From the first the PKB supported [the idea that] the election of governors can be appointed by the DPRD", Ashar told CNN Indonesia on Friday. "Allocate [the funds] to more useful regional development programs", he added.
Nevertheless, Ashar believes that the discourse on regional heads being chosen by the DPRD still needs an in-depth study. He alluded to money politics at the elite level of the political parties.
NasDem argues governors an extension of central government
National Democrats (NasDem) Central Leadership Board Chairperson Irma Chaniago admits that that he agrees with the idea that governors should no longer be elected directly. He argues that governors are just an extension of the central government.
"I propose that governors don't need to be elected directly", Chaniago told CNN Indonesia on Friday. "After all, those who work directly for the people are the regents and mayors", he said. Therefore, Chaniago still agrees that regents and mayors be directly elected by the people.
Minister of Law says not all elections must be direct
Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas believes that the election of regional heads does not have to go through direct elections. He referred to electoral laws which only stipulate that regional heads must be democratically elected.
"The election of regional heads in the Constitution and the election laws use the diction democratically elected. Democratically elected does not mean that all local elections must be direct", said Agtas at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday.
KPU says discourse an effort to evaluate elections
KPU Chairperson Mochammad Afifuddin believes the discourse imitated by Prabowo as an effort to ignite discussions to evaluate how elections are held.
"The discussion or discourse about the ideal type of Pilkada, the proposal (that they be selected) at DPRD and so on, as well as the discourse surrounding reflections on the participation [rate] that has indeed dropped even though it is still in 70 percent. This is the dynamic post the Pilkada", Afifuddin said at a press conference at the KPU offices in Jakarta on Friday.
"This is the importance of evaluation, the importance of discourse, which later no matter what step we choose it must start from the regulations or laws which according to plans becomes [part of the] National Legislation Program", he added.
Mahfud says direct elections expensive, messy
Former Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD says he appreciates Prabowo's proposal for regional heads to be selected by the DPRD. Mahfud sees this proposal as something positive in the context of having an evaluation on the implementation of the election regional heads.
"It's good, I think it's good, in the sense of reevaluating whether it must return to the DPRD or not, we'll talk about it. But it must be evaluated because the way it is now is, aside from being expensive it's also messy, what's happening now", said Mahfud at the Sleman Indonesian Islamic University (UII) in Yogyakarta Special Province (DIY) on Friday.
Mahfud said that during the era of former presidential Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) at the end of September 2014, there was the enactment of Law Number 22/2014 on the Election of Governors, Regents and Mayors which stipulated that regional head be elected indirectly by the DPRD.
However, only in a matter of days or in early October that year SBY decided to issue a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) to continue to maintain direct elections.
"It was revoked again only two days later because of considerations over the heated political situation at that time", Mahfud recalled. (mba/gil/bac)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Ramai-ramai Respons Prabowo soal Wacana Pilkada Dipilih DPRD".]
