Good leadership goal of new bill: Govt

The Home Affairs Ministry has defended its plan to include a clause in the regional election draft bill requiring candidates for elections to have experience in governance, saying that the bill aimed to attract better leaders.

Spokesman for the ministry, Saut Sitomurang, told the The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the purpose of the new requirement was to filter candidates who did not have “relevant skills”.

“Experience has shown that, in the regional election system that currently applies, anyone can run to be a regional leader. It doesn’t matter if they have the skills that are relevant to the positions they are setting their sights on.

We don’t want candidates who have never been a part of an organization to lead a huge one – the regional administration that is, if they are elected,” he said.

One of the first tasks facing a newly elected regional leader is to draft a midterm regional development plan (RPJMD), which is due at the end of the first 3 months of the tenure.