House allows
\nnon politicians
\nto contest
\ngovernorship<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Independent candidates should be allowed to contest local
\nelections provided they have not been affiliated to a political
\nparty for four years, the House of Representatives legislation
\ncommittee says.<\/p>\n
The proposal was adopted by the committee on Tuesday in
\nrevisions to Law No. 22\/1999 on regional administrations.<\/p>\n
The draft revision will be sent to a plenary meeting for
\nfurther deliberation as will government-sponsored revisions of
\nthe law.<\/p>\n
\"We hope the amended law will take effect in October next
\nyear, three months after the inauguration of legislative
\ncouncils,\" committee chairman Zein Badjeber said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Zein, of the United Development Party (PPP) faction, said
\namendments to the 1999 law aimed to improve the elections of
\nregents and governors and the composition of the legislative
\ncouncils in regencies and provinces.<\/p>\n
There have been concerns among the public over practices of
\nmoney politics in the election of governors or regents by local
\nlegislative councils in several provinces. The practices
\nencourage the elected officials to abuse their powers during
\ntheir terms in office in order to recover the money they spent to
\nbuy votes.<\/p>\n
Some councillors in Central Java and Bali have admitted to
\nhave received money from gubernatorial candidates ahead or after
\nthe elections recently, but no actions have been taken by the
\npolice in response to the confession.<\/p>\n
Article 38 of the draft revision states that gubernatorial and
\nregental candidates and their running mates are elected directly
\nby the people.<\/p>\n
The candidates can be nominated by political parties, a group
\nof parties or individuals, the article says.<\/p>\n
Names of the candidates shall be submitted to the respective
\nregional general elections commission (KPUD).<\/p>\n
Individual candidates must enjoy support from a certain number
\nof people and will be decided on by the regional general
\nelections commissions, the draft says.<\/p>\n
Individuals contesting the elections must not hold positions
\nin or have been affiliated to political parties for at least four
\nyears before they register for the election.<\/p>\n
Patrialis Akbar of the Reform faction said the draft would
\npave the way for an overhaul of the regional administration law,
\nwhich many say has given too much power to regional
\nadministrations.<\/p>\n
\"Other issues, such as borders between regions and relations
\nbetween regional administrations and central government will be
\ndiscussed later,\" Patrialis said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan of Golkar said legislators
\nwere planning to revise all the articles in the law, which was
\nimplemented in 2000.<\/p>\n
Direct election for regent and governor emulates the direct
\npresidential election stipulated in the presidential election law
\nendorsed by the House in July.<\/p>\n
The law, however, does not recognize independent candidates
\nand allows only a party or a group of parties winning at least
\nthree percent of the vote in the general election to nominate a
\npresidential candidate.<\/p>\n
The landmark presidential election is scheduled to take place
\nin July next year, with the run-off in September.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-allows-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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