Kendari (Antara News) - A Southeast Sulawesi`s NGO, the Public`s Coalition of Anti-Corruption (Kompak), believes that indirect regional head elections will lead to democratic regression in Indonesia.
Only political elites will be benefited if regional heads are elected by legislators, P Firmansyah, chairman of the Kompak`s Founder Council, said here on Thursday.
"Bill on indirect elections of regional heads, which deprives people`s rights to directly elect their regional heads, is a democratic regression for the state and the nation," he said.
Most of the time, Indonesia`s regional legislative councils (DPRD) are not above board, and if local legislators are given the authority to elect regional heads, this will not only encourage corruption but also result in undue nexus for votes between regional head candidates and local legislators, he noted.
Many people do not trust legislators because most of them are involved in corruption cases.
Indonesia has been conducting direct elections of president, legislators, and regional heads, including governors, mayors, and district heads, since the reform era in early 2000.
However, at present, five of the nine political party factions in the Commission II in the Indonesian Parliament have supported a bill on indirect regional head elections by DPRD.
Members of the House of Representatives are divided over the proposal to change the regional head election system.
The All-Indonesia District Government Association (APKASI), however, is opposed to the proposal to return regional head elections to local legislative councils (DPRD), arguing that the proposal runs counter to the mandate of reform movements.
"Regional head elections that involve the people`s direct participation are one of the fruits of the 1998 reform struggle. Therefore, the direct regional head elections that are more transparent must not be returned to DPRD," APKASI General Chairman Isran Noor stated here on Sunday.
Returning direct regional head elections to DPRD amounts to depriving the people of their political rights, he added
Only political elites will be benefited if regional heads are elected by legislators, P Firmansyah, chairman of the Kompak`s Founder Council, said here on Thursday.
"Bill on indirect elections of regional heads, which deprives people`s rights to directly elect their regional heads, is a democratic regression for the state and the nation," he said.
Most of the time, Indonesia`s regional legislative councils (DPRD) are not above board, and if local legislators are given the authority to elect regional heads, this will not only encourage corruption but also result in undue nexus for votes between regional head candidates and local legislators, he noted.
Many people do not trust legislators because most of them are involved in corruption cases.
Indonesia has been conducting direct elections of president, legislators, and regional heads, including governors, mayors, and district heads, since the reform era in early 2000.
However, at present, five of the nine political party factions in the Commission II in the Indonesian Parliament have supported a bill on indirect regional head elections by DPRD.
Members of the House of Representatives are divided over the proposal to change the regional head election system.
The All-Indonesia District Government Association (APKASI), however, is opposed to the proposal to return regional head elections to local legislative councils (DPRD), arguing that the proposal runs counter to the mandate of reform movements.
"Regional head elections that involve the people`s direct participation are one of the fruits of the 1998 reform struggle. Therefore, the direct regional head elections that are more transparent must not be returned to DPRD," APKASI General Chairman Isran Noor stated here on Sunday.
Returning direct regional head elections to DPRD amounts to depriving the people of their political rights, he added