MPR mulls direct election for regional governments<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is debating the
\npossibility of introducing a direct election system for heads of
\nregional administrations, an MPR member said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"The direct election concept is very important, since the
\ncurrent mechanism is vulnerable to meddling by the central
\ngovernment, and money politics," said Manasse Malo, chairman of
\nthe Democracy and Love the Nation Faction in the MPR, after
\naddressing a discussion named "The Election of the Head of the
\nRegional Governments in the Autonomy Era."<\/p>\n
Presently, the heads of regional administrations are elected
\nby local councillors, and approved by the president for governors
\nand by the home minister for regents, allowing contestants to
\nbribe local councillors.<\/p>\n
Manasse said that direct elections by the people would help to
\ncurb the pervasive money politics and intervention by influential
\nfigures in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Several parties have also pushed the MPR to adopt direct
\nelection mechanisms for both the president and the head of the
\nregional governments through legislative amendments to the
\ncurrent constitution, he said.<\/p>\n
Manasse, who is also chairman of the Regional Autonomy section
\nin the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II, said that
\nthe MPR has received much input from people who indicated that
\nthey were favorable to the idea.<\/p>\n
The regional governments channeled these opinions through
\nMPR's Ad Hoc Committee I, which oversees Constitutional
\namendments.<\/p>\n
"Under the direct election system, the people's sovereignty
\nwould be ensured. For practical reasons, it would be very
\ndifficult to contest elected parties by bribing every citizen in
\nany given region -- rather than paying off a handful of
\ncouncillors," he said.<\/p>\n
Money politics and intervention run rampant in the elections
\nfor heads of regional governments. A case in point is the
\nelection of the Kendari mayor in Southeast Sulawesi province.<\/p>\n
In the Kendari mayoralty, local councillors reelected Masyhur
\nMasie Abunawas as the mayor at the end of last year.<\/p>\n
The Southeast Sulawesi governor who, under the current system,
\nis in charge of endorsing the election results, intervened. He
\nsuspended the final decision solely on the grounds that Masie's
\nperformance was poor in his first term.<\/p>\n
Local councillors insisted that, under the Regional Autonomy
\nLaw effective on Jan. 1, 2001, they all had the right to elect
\nthe mayor.<\/p>\n
The governor was adamant in his stance, however, arguing that
\nhe had the authority to suspend the decision -- and that Masie
\nwas a civil servant under his authority.<\/p>\n
The standoff left the matter in limbo.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mpr-mulls-direct-election-for-regional-governments-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }