CIDISS. The General Elections Commission (KPU) called on the government and the House of Representatives to immediately draft a revised Law on the Election of Regional Head. This is because the KPU considers the revision of the draft is one of the most appropriate ways to give the rules to the candidates for regional heads who become suspects or ensnared in the legal process.
This pressure was broadcast by the KPU as many requested that the KPU should formulate new regulations to address potential “problem” candidates, but the KPU could not do much because there was no basis for drafting the regulation. If it is imposed to be done, then the KPU is likely to be considered by some circles to have violated the prevailing rules. If many parties want the KPU to draft the regulation, then the Law on Election of Regional Head needs to be revised first.
Polemic related to the number of candidates for regional heads caught in cases and legal proceedings began to become trending topic after the KPU disclosed data that a number of incumbent candidates were involved in corruption cases in previous era. Although there has not been any arrest, some people believe that a candidate for a regional head who is entangled in the legal process will reduce the movement of candidates and reduce his elektabilitasnya. Furthermore, it is feared that this could disrupt the running of Regional Head Election to be conducted simultaneously this year.
The government must always work hard and find ways to deal with this problem, including the option to revise the Regional Head Election Law. But all that takes time and can not be done immediately because it needs to consider the impact that may arise. But we as citizens need to believe that the government is working as much as possible to fix this so that the election of Head of Region this year can run smoothly.
By: Mirwan Achmad *)