Jakarta Governor Appointed by Direct Regional Elections

Jakarta, MINA – In regulating the appointment of the governor and deputy governor of the Jakarta Special Region (DKJ) through regional head elections (pilkada), the Indonesian Government and the DPR Legislative Body (Baleg) agreed.

The agreement at the DPR Baleg Working Committee Meeting with the government represented by the Secretary General (Sekjen) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Suhajar Diantoro was regarding discussing the DKJ Bill, according to a statement in Jakarta on Monday.

The government requests that the clause in the DKJ Bill proposed by the DPR regarding the appointment of the governor and deputy governor of the DKJ chosen by the president as stated in Article 10 paragraph (2) be removed.

This is because elections are the highest recognition of regional aspirations to elect regional heads based on democratic principles.

On the other hand, the government believes that regional heads must comply with the will of the people.

That way, regional heads must follow the will of the people. Responding to this, Chairman of the DPR Baleg, Supratman Andi Agtas, welcomed the proposal.

He explained that there were differences between the proposed changes to the appointment of the governor and deputy governor of Jakarta and the DKI Law.

“First, in the current DKI Law the same as the winner of the presidential election is 50+1. Now it is proposed that the government not mention 50+1. “The meaning is the same as in other regional elections, the most votes,” said Supratman.

He explained that these considerations were also based on considerations of divisions at the grassroots, sociological aspects of the people, and even the regional election budget.

He also gave the Secretary General of the Ministry of Home Affairs Suhajar Diantoro the opportunity to explain in more detail.

Suhajar also explained that the changes to the clause on the mechanism for electing DKJ governors and deputy governors follow the rules stated in Law (UU) Number 6 of 2020 concerning the Election of Governors, Regents and Mayors.

“So we have followed the regional head election rules so far, namely the Regional Election Law, as well as other special regions. So the special regions in Aceh Province, the special regions in Papua Province are the same as the regional elections taking effect. “So in one election, the person with the most votes is the winner,” said Suhajar. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)