Government issues decree allowing delay in regional elections
Government issues decree allowing delay in regional elections
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government issued on Wednesday a government regulation in
lieu of law (Perppu) that will enable the postponement of direct
regional elections for regents, mayors and governors.
Due to poor preparation, some regions are not ready to hold
the unprecedented direct elections, scheduled to start in June.
The government also issued a regulation to revise Government
Regulation No. 6/2004 on the election and inauguration of
regional leaders, following the recent annulment of some articles
and sections of paragraphs of Law No. 32/2004 on regional
administration, the legal basis of the direct regional elections,
by the Constitutional Court.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed Government
Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 3/2005 on revision of Law No.
32/2004 and Government Regulation No. 17/2005 on revision of
Government Regulation No. 6/2004 earlier in the day. The new
regulations were effective on their day of issuance.
State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the regulation in
lieu of law was issued in anticipation of the possible
postponement of regional elections due to natural disasters,
security problems or other disruptions, including a lack of
funds, logistical materials and election committee personnel,
which are not stipulated in the 2004 law.
"We issued the Perppu due to the tight deadline and the fact
that the House of Representatives is in recess," Yusril said.
Generally, a Perppu is issued in an emergency. If the House
does not respond to the regulation within a month it is
considered to have accepted it.
The House will sit on Monday.
The government has announced that 215 elections for mayors and
regents and 11 elections for governors will be held between June
and July.
The government of President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued a
Perppu last year that enabled a delay in the April legislative
elections in regions due to natural disasters or disruption in
the supply of ballot papers and boxes. The General Elections
Commission (KPU) failed at that time to meet the deadline it set
for delivery of election logistical materials in many regions.
The new Perppu also spells out the central government's
support to ensure the success of the regional elections and
revises an earlier regulation on the maximum number of voters a
polling station can accommodate from 300 to 600.
Yusril said the new Perppu did not stipulate a procedure for
independent candidates to contest the regional election nor the
accountability of the local elections commission (KPUD).
"That does not need to be regulated. Before being amended by
the Constitutional Court, Law No. 32/2004 said independent
candidates could only contest under the banner of political
parties, but now they don't have to. Let KPUDs register eligible
candidates as long as they meet the requirements set by the
law," he said.
The Perppu does not regulate the accountability of KPUDs
either, although the Constitutional Court said the regional
bodies are answerable to the KPU.
"Maybe, (the KPUDs are accountable) to God. But, they must
inform the local legislatures and the public," Yusril said.