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PDI-P calls for people power
As the six factions under Prabowo Subiantoâs Red-and-White Coalition maintain their stance, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and its three coalition party members have placed their hopes on the government and public to maintain the direct election of local leaders
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s the six factions under Prabowo Subianto's Red-and-White Coalition maintain their stance, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and its three coalition party members have placed their hopes on the government and public to maintain the direct election of local leaders.
The PDI-P, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Hanura Party have not succeeded in their effort to ward off a move by a majority of factions in the House of Representatives to reinstate the Soeharto-era election system, where regional legislative councils (DPRDs) elect local heads.
The three parties, which all belong to president-elect Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's Gotong Royong Coalition, only have two weeks before the fate of direct elections is decided in a plenary meeting at the House.
- PDI-P's coalition looks to civil society, regional heads to block indirect elections
- Time for Red-and-White Coalition to 'listen to the people'
If the plenary session decides to hold a vote, the Gotong Royong Coalition will likely face defeat.
The Red-and-White Coalition controls 420 seats in the current House, 150 of which come from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party. The PDI-P and its coalition members hold a total of 140 seats.
While underlining that his party is still soliciting support at the House, PDI-P deputy secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto has embraced increasing sentiment from civil society and a score of regional heads to resist the bill.
'The public has moved [into action]. We will lobby the factions. It is still in process,' he said.
Many regional heads from the Red-and-White Coalition are defending direct elections and are ready to quit their political parties as a consequence of their stance.
Among them are the outspoken Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama, who recently left the Gerindra Party, and Singkawang Mayor Awang Ishak, who recently left the National Mandate Party (PAN).
'It's time for the factions to listen to the voice of the people, mayors and governors. Their decisions at the House must reflect the people's demand. They will lose credibility if they decline to do so,' said PDI-P lawmaker Maruarar Sirait.
Meanwhile, PKB lawmaker Abdul Malik Haramain, a member of the working committee in charge of the bill's deliberation, placed his hopes on Yudhoyono and the home minister to annul the legislation process.
'The bill was proposed by the government, so it holds the right to revoke its proposal. Yudhoyono must realize that the bill has put our democracy at risk. In addition to that, our two proposals for the bill are not ready yet. They are still lacking detail,' he said.
The first proposal, which stipulated a representative-based election, did not clearly regulate the roles of the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) in the voting process of regional heads in DPRDs, Abdul said.
As for the second proposal, the working committee has not determined the limit of campaign funds.
'We have just asked the Home Ministry to make a recommendation on the figure,' he added.
Should the Gotong Royong Coalition fail in its struggle, Abdul claimed that the coalition, with support from the public, would file a judicial review to challenge the new law.
Another Red-and-White Coalition member, the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP), remains adamant in its stance of scrapping the direct-election system, noting that the party has consistently endorsed the idea at the House since 2010.
'A number of PPP elements, including those from the Indonesian Ulema Council [MUI] and Nahdlatul Ulama [NU], believe that direct elections cause too many disadvantages, such as large spending to hold each election,' Ahmad said on Friday.
Late on Thursday, the chairman of PAN's consultative board, Amien Rais, gathered his members to remind them of the party's commitment to supporting the bill.
The meeting was conducted only a day after Awang's resignation from the party and an endorsement of the direct elections from its member, Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto.
After the meeting, Amien said he allowed PAN members to have 'different opinions', but reminded them not 'to challenge' the party's stance. (idb)
