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Budget problems should not derail regional elections: Lawmakers
A member of House of Representatives Commission III on legal affairs, Akbar Faisal, has said that current budget problems should not lessen enthusiasm to hold simultaneous regional elections in December because budget and other operational matters were just part of a process to create a democracy
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member of House of Representatives Commission III on legal affairs, Akbar Faisal, has said that current budget problems should not lessen enthusiasm to hold simultaneous regional elections in December because budget and other operational matters were just part of a process to create a democracy.
'On the election budget problems, I myself think that that Rp 712 billion [US$53.4 million] is not a problem for a big nation like Indonesia, to create the democracy we want. Don't let this [budget] problem become an obstacle to the organizing of the simultaneous regional elections,' said Akbar as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Thursday.
Similarly, a member of House Commission II on home affairs, Komaruddin Watubun, asserted that there was no excuse to delay simultaneous regional elections, which are scheduled to take place on Dec. 9.
Earlier, National Police chief Badrodin Haiti said the police could recommend that simultaneous regional elections be postponed in particular areas if security budgets in the areas were not available in time.
'If I'm not mistaken, there is still a need for around Rp 500 billion in security budgets for the elections. For regions that don't yet have security budgets, we can recommend the government postpone elections in the areas. But for regions whose security budgets are available, we are ready to secure their elections,' Badrodin said as quoted by Antara. (ebf)(+++)
