SIMULTANEOUS REGIONAL HEAD ELECTIONS LIKELY TO BE HELD IN 2015 by Fardah

Jakarta, Feb 11, 2015 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has decided to hold the simultaneous regional head elections in September 2015, instead of its previous plan of organizing the elections in December 2015.

       President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) recently signed the laws on the regional elections of provincial governors, district heads, and city mayors, according to Minister/State Secretary Pratikno.

          Jokowi has instructed that simultaneous regional head elections should be organized this year, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Tedjo Edhi Purdijatno stated on Feb. 10.
     "The president wants the regional head elections to be held in 2015 itself as it concerns the allocation of regional budgets," Tedjo Purdijanto informed the press following a meeting between the  president and leaders of the General Elections Commission (KPU) at the State Palace.

          The minister, however, admitted that it was a short notice for organizing the simultaneous regional elections.

         Jokowi earlier expressed hope that with the passage of Law No.1 of 2015, the preparations and implementation of simultaneous local elections will go smoothly.

         The KPU responded by stating that due to the time constraints, it will evaluate whether it can organize the local elections this year.

         "The chances are 50-50. It could be a 'yes' or a 'no'," the minister remarked, referring to the response of the KPU leaders.

         Indonesia will organize simultaneous regional elections in 204 districts and municipalities in 2015 and in 304 districts and municipalities next year.

         "We are ready to implement them," KPU Chairman Husni Kamil Manik remarked after attending a meeting with the head of state.

        He observed that the government has been following Law No. 1 of 2015 on the implementation of simultaneous regional head elections in 2015.

        He noted that the Commission will hold a meeting with the home affairs minister to discuss the technicalities related to the local elections.

        KPU Commissioner Arif Budiman stated that due to the time constraints, the Commission will likely have to scrap several phases of the elections.

        According to Law No. 1 of 2015, simultaneous regional head elections will be held in 2015.

        The law makes it mandatory for the KPU to draft regulations on the phases, programs, and schedules of the regional head elections before they are held in December 2015.

        To hold the elections simultaneously in September, earlier than originally planned, at least three of its phases will have to be revised, he pointed out.

        "If he (the president) wants this, several phases of the elections, including the public test and dispute settlement, must be scrapped. However, whether they will be maintained will depend on what the House of Representatives (DPR) decides," Budiman noted.

        Furthermore, there is yet no certainty regarding the regional head elections as the DPR and the government are considering to revise Law No. 1 of 2015 on the same, the KPU commissioner explained.

           "We can only speculate, for now. If everything, including the law, budget, and personnel, are prepared to support the elections, they can be held (in September 2015). However, we will find it rather difficult if we are suddenly ordered to do so," he remarked.

         Earlier, on Jan. 22, during a hearing with the Commission II of the DPR, the KPU expressed its readiness to organize the local elections in 2015.

         "We consolidate with the Provincial Election Commission and the district/sub-district administrations to ensure that all levels of the election organizers have already coordinated with the local governments," Manik stated.

         He noted that the coordination has been carried out with the local governments to prepare the election budget.

         Secondly, according to him, the KPU has simultaneously prepared the plan for the implementation of the elections along with making operational decisions regarding the commission's regulations.

        "KPU's regulations have been compiled, and there are 10 regulations," he affirmed.

         Manik explained that of the 10 rules, the KPU has completed discussions on four of them, three of which are related to programs and schedules, updating the voters, as well as the prospective governors, regents, and mayors.

         He noted that the other regulations regarding socialization, community participation, and the monitoring of elections will be discussed.

         "It can be undertaken after consultation with the KPU, Parliament, and government as well as the Bawaslu (the General Election Supervisory Board)," he said.

        Thirdly, according to him, the KPU has carried out budget planning in coordination with the Provincial Election Commission and the provincial, city, and district governments that are related to the organization of the elections.

         He noted that the budget for the KPU has not yet been accepted. The budget will be used in performing the functions and duties of the institution in the implementation of the elections.

         "We propose an allocation worth Rp1.1 trillion in the 2015 revised state budget," he stated.

          Earlier, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo remarked that as proposed by the KPU, the Ministry of Finance has agreed to increase the budget for local elections, including the second round of elections.

         Last year, the KPU had suggested postponing the implementation of the regional head elections to 2016, and the suggestion was hailed by Minister Kumolo.

          Kumolo believed that it would be better for the country to have a two-year gap between general elections. With one been held in 2014, the next round of elections should be held in early 2016.

        "The next general elections will be in 2019, while the simultaneous regional head elections will be in 2016," Kumolo, who is a senior politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), noted in a text message on December 23.

         The new minister stated that the local elections should be postponed as the number of regions that will hold them will increase from 204 districts/cities to 304 and from eight provinces to 10.

        The number increased significantly from the 214 regions mentioned earlier by the former home affairs minister in September 2014.

        However, on January 30, Minister Kumolo said the government is inclined to implement the simultaneous regional elections in 2015, in accordance with the existing law on the regional elections of governors, district heads, and mayors.

         According to data from early 2014, Indonesia has 34 provinces, 420 districts, and 94 cities. A province is headed by a governor, a district by a district head, and a city by a mayor.

          The entire process of the simultaneous regional head elections will include the campaign period, the voting day, and the simultaneous inaugurations of the newly elected regional heads.
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(f001/INE)