Citizen wants direct mayoral, regent elections

Agnes Winarti ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 05/15/2008 12:20 PM  |  City

The appointment of mayors in Jakarta by the governor has been deemed a violation of citizens' right to participate in the democratic process.

"The special status of Jakarta (as a capital city) should not allow it to act undemocratically," said plaintiff Biem Benjamin on Wednesday at the Constitutional Court.

Biem, also a member of the Regional Representative Council, requested the Constitutional Court conduct a judicial review on the 2004 law on regional administration and the 2007 law on Greater Jakarta as a special region.

He was speaking on the sidelines of his second judicial review hearing, in which he submitted his revised petition to the court.

Biem said several articles in both the 2004 and the 2007 laws were hindering the democratic process, particularly in terms of mayoral elections.

The 2007 law on Greater Jakarta states the capital is a single entity, meaning municipalities and regencies do not have autonomy.

Jakarta has five municipalities and a regency.

The law stipulates mayors and regents in Jakarta are appointed and dismissed by the governor. They also answer to the governor. Another article states regency and municipality council members are also appointed by the governor.

Biem said articles of the amended 1945 Constitution clearly stated governors, mayors and regents must be elected in a democratic way, through public elections.

"We hope the Constitutional Court rules in our favor so citizens can have the right to participate in public elections," he said.

The public can benefit from the annulment of the mentioned articles, Biem said, as it would cut lengthy red-tape procedures.

Biem said "Publicly elected mayors could improve and deliver quicker public services for citizens, as well as improve the administration's planning and monitoring process.

"Currently, the mayors in Jakarta can only perform administrative tasks because all public aspirations have to go through the governor first.

"Public officials can obtain better welfare because they have the opportunity to be on the mayoral council."

According to Biem, based on the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, 457 municipalities and regencies in 32 provinces nationwide have achieved autonomy.

Those regions have already held public elections to choose their own mayors, regents and council members. "That means they have rights when it comes to things like budgeting, monitoring and policy making," he said.

Jakarta is the only province that still has governor-appointed mayors in Indonesia, which has a total of 33 provinces.

In August 2007, Jakarta held its first ever election to select a governor, which was won by Fauzi Bowo.

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