PDIP on Constitutional Court Ruling: No More Discourse on Regional Elections via DPRD

The Chairman of the Election Winning Body (Bappilu) of the PDIP executive, Deddy Yevry Sitorus, has stressed that there is no longer any discussion regarding regional head elections (pilkada) being conducted through the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD). The statement was made by Deddy in response to the Constitutional Court (MK) ruling which affirmed that pilkada must continue to be held directly and chosen by the people. “There is no more discourse [on pilkada via DPRD], the Constitutional Court’s ruling is clear,” said Deddy when contacted on Wednesday (1/7). The member of House of Representatives Commission II, which oversees political and governmental affairs, assessed that the MK ruling is in accordance with the spirit of reform, regional autonomy, and the prevailing laws. According to Deddy, PDIP had from the outset rejected the proposal for regional heads to be elected indirectly or through the DPRD. Thus, the MK ruling should close the book on that discourse. “Our stance since the discourse emerged has also been firm, regional heads are directly elected in accordance with the law, the spirit of reform, and the will of the people,” he said. In its ruling on Monday (29/6), the Constitutional Court affirmed the principle of direct pilkada. The MK declared the judicial review petition for Article 1 point 1 of Law Number 8 of 2015 concerning the Election of Governors, Regents, and Mayors (Pilkada Law) as inadmissible. “This is guided by the general principles of elections while still recognising and respecting special or privileged regional government units,” said Chief Justice Suhartoyo.