Analysts call for direct election of regional leaders<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Some political analysts and politicians are calling for the
\ndirect election of regents, mayors and governors, saying this
\nwould ensure the people get the leaders they want.<\/p>\n
Fachri Ali, Abu Hartono of the Habibie Center and Andi
\nMattalata of the Golkar Party said on Wednesday \"money politics\"
\nwould continue to influence the election of regional leaders as
\nlong as these elections were entrusted to local legislatures.<\/p>\n
\"We should push for direct elections of governors, regents and
\nmayors now that the country has agreed to hold a direct
\npresidential election in 2004.<\/p>\n
\"Otherwise, members of local legislatures, who we all know are
\ncorrupt, will be happy to maintain their authority to elect
\ngovernors, regents and mayors,\" Fachri said during a discussion
\norganized by the Habibie Center on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives endorsed a bill on presidential
\nelections on Monday, paving the way for the country to hold it
\nfirst ever direct presidential election in 2004.<\/p>\n
The National Elections Commission has scheduled the
\nlegislative elections for April 5, 2004, and the presidential
\nelection for sometime between June and August.<\/p>\n
Fachri demanded that Article 18 (4) of the 1945 Constitution
\nbe reviewed to accommodate the need for direct elections for
\ngovernors, mayors and regents.<\/p>\n
\"Under the article as it now stands, local legislators still
\nhave grounds to reject direct elections for regents, mayors and
\ngovernors,\" Fachri said.<\/p>\n
Article 18 (4) simply states that governors, regents and
\nmayors be \"democratically elected\", without elaborating on what
\nis meant by the phrase.<\/p>\n
Fachri said there also should be a mechanism to control
\ngovernors, regents and mayors elected directly by the people, so
\nthey could be recalled if their performance was not up to
\nstandard.<\/p>\n
The election of some local officials across the country has
\nbeen met with anger because of allegations of money politics.<\/p>\n
The election of Sutiyoso and Danny Setiawan as governors of
\nJakarta and West Java, respectively, for example, were tarnished
\nby allegations of bribery and corruption.<\/p>\n
Andi said plans to hold direct elections for governors,
\nregents and mayors should go forward, as legislators had wanted
\nto do this since 2000, when the 1945 Constitution was being
\namended for the second time.<\/p>\n
\"But we could not create an article in 2000 that clearly
\nstipulated the direct election of governors, regents and mayors,
\nbecause that would have forced us to delay the direct
\npresidential election,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Therefore, as the next president will be elected directly by
\nthe people, the election of governors, regents and mayors should
\nbe conducted in similar manner, Andi said.<\/p>\n
He also said Article 18 (4) of the Constitution already
\ncontained the spirit of direct elections for local officials,
\nmaking it unnecessary to amend the Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"We could review the autonomy law to make it clearly stipulate
\ndirect elections of governors, regents and mayors,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Abu said legislators should draft a new law to establish the
\nlegal basis for the direct election of local officials.<\/p>\n
\"I think a new law would be the easiest and fastest way to
\npush for the direct election of governors, regents and mayors,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/analysts-call-for-direct-election-of-regional-leaders-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}