Discourse on Regional Elections Without Deputy Heads Emerges in DPR

The discourse on holding regional elections (Pilkada) without a deputy candidate has come under the spotlight in the House of Representatives’ Commission II, which oversees political and governmental affairs. The idea emerged amid ongoing conflicts between regional heads and their deputies.

During a meeting between Commission II and the Ministry of Home Affairs last Thursday (30/8), Muhammad Khozin, a member from the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, highlighted the issue. He noted that deputy regional heads often serve merely as vote-getters during elections but have almost no duties or authority in government, frequently leading to tension between the two parties.

‘We should just elect a regional head without a deputy. The deputy can be appointed directly by the regional head. This is so they are not just vote-getters; it is a pity for the current deputy regional heads,’ Khozin stated. He argued that the problem is systemic, citing data suggesting that 60 percent of regional head and deputy pairings experience disharmony.

Saleh Partaonan Daulay, Deputy Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), acknowledged that the proposal is now being discussed across party factions in the DPR. He called for a mature study of the idea and admitted that the roles of regional heads and their deputies are often unbalanced. In some cases, disputes between the two have even been exposed in court.

Meanwhile, Ujang Bey, a member of Commission II from the NasDem Party faction, viewed the political pairing in local elections as being based on agreements and considerations, including social, political, and economic capital. He explained that candidates often pair up to balance their weaknesses, such as a financially strong candidate partnering with a party chairperson or a politically strong candidate teaming up with a businessperson. Ujang noted that the duties of both positions are already regulated by the Regional Government Law, as they are elected as a package, but he stopped short of taking a firm stance on the proposal.