Independent candidates may contest local elections<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Independent candidates may soon be allowed to contest local
\nelections to choose governors, regents, or mayors, according to
\nproposed revisions to autonomy laws.<\/p>\n
The revised draft of Law No. 22 on the regional administration
\nalso proposes direct elections for governors, regents, or mayors.<\/p>\n
Independent figures with no political affiliations may also
\ncontest gubernatorial or regental\/municipal elections as long as
\nthey secure the support of at least 1 percent of total votes in
\ntheir province, regency or municipality.<\/p>\n
In the presidential election, candidates must be nominated by
\nparties or coalitions that garner at least 3 percent of the seats
\nin the House of Representatives (DPR), or 5 percent of total
\nvalid votes in the legislative election.<\/p>\n
The draft, which the House of Representatives (DPR) plans to
\ndeliberate during its current session, also curtails the access
\nof regional administrations to natural resources, a move that may
\ncut the revenue of regional administrations.<\/p>\n
Under Law No.22\/1999, regional administrations have the
\nauthority to exploit natural resources in their territory, and
\nare accountable for environmental conservation (Article 10).<\/p>\n
According to the government-sponsored bill, however, access to
\nthe natural resources of regional administrations would be
\nreduced.<\/p>\n
Article 20 of the bill states that the central government may
\ngive authority to regional administrations to utilize natural
\nresources and maritime wealth.<\/p>\n
Details of this stipulation would be set out in government
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
The government proposes revisions to Law No. 22\/1999 in a bid
\nto improve the implementation of regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
Regarding efforts to reduce potential disputes between the
\ncentral government and regional administrations, the bill offers
\narticles that would improve supervision of the performance of
\nregional administrations.<\/p>\n
Under the bill, provincial administrations have to submit
\nevery bylaw they issue to the central government, and municipal
\nor regental administration have to submit bylaws to the governor,
\nno later than 15 days after their endorsement (Article 113).<\/p>\n
The central government would assess every bylaw endorsed by
\nregional administrations to determine whether or not the bylaw
\ncontradicted a higher regulation, or offended public interests.<\/p>\n
If the bylaw was found to conflict with the law, the central
\ngovernment would have the authority to cancel it.<\/p>\n
No more than a month after the government canceled the bylaw,
\nthe regional administration would be required to officially
\nrevoke the legislation. Rulings issued by the President or the
\nhome ministry would be final and binding.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the House had also prepared revisions to the regional
\nadministration law in an attempt to improve the implementation of
\nregional autonomy.<\/p>\n
Since its implementation in 2001, regional autonomy has
\ncreated disputes between regional administrations and the central
\ngovernment. Several bylaws produced by regional administrations
\nare known to contradict existing laws.<\/p>\n
The government offered comprehensive revisions to the regional
\nadministration law, but legislators seemed to focus on the direct
\nelection of the regional head.<\/p>\n
Legislator Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa, who is deputy chairman of a
\ncommittee for the bill's deliberation, said on Wednesday that the
\ndirect election of governors, mayors, and regents would be the
\ntop priority during deliberation.<\/p>\n
The direct election becomes the main concern because it is
\nmandated in the amended Constitution, he said.<\/p>\n
Aside from that, Agun said, legislators would make some
\nrevisions so that provincial and regental legislatures (DPRD)
\ncould impeach regional heads.<\/p>\n
The impeachment would need to be made before a plenary meeting
\nof the DPRD, attended by at least three quarters of its members
\nand approved by two thirds of those who attended the meeting. A
\nmove which could only be taken if the governor, the mayor, or the
\nregent had violated their oath, failed to carry out their duty,
\nor violated any restrictions imposed upon them.<\/p>",
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