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Observers decry non-transparent interim leader selection
The Home Ministry has gone ahead and installed five acting governors, even as observers and critics have pointed to a process that has neglected transparency and public participation.
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Paulus Waterpauw takes an oath of office as he is installed as the acting governor of West Papua during a ceremony at the Home Ministry on May 12, 2022, when four other acting regional heads were installed. (National Police /Public Relations Division)
I
gnoring cries for transparency, the government has pushed through a plan to appoint acting regional heads from a pool of high-ranking state officials on Thursday, starting a process to replace 271 outgoing regional heads prior to the 2024 regional elections.
Home Minister Tito Karnavian inaugurated on Thursday five senior officials as acting governors: the energy ministry's minerals and coal director general Ridwan Djamaluddin as the acting governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Banten administrative secretary Al Muktabar as the Banten acting governor, expert staffer to the sports minister Hamka Hendra Noer as the Gorontalo acting governor and Home Ministry deputy and former West Papua Police chief Paulus Waterpauw as the acting governor of West Papua.
A total of 101 regional leadership posts are becoming vacant this year, including the Jakarta governorship, while 154 mayoralties and regency posts and 17 governorships are becoming vacant in 2023, including leadership posts in the most populous provinces of West, East and Central Java.
Transparency needed
Critics have repeatedly called for a more open and transparent selection process that would allow the public to monitor and give their feedback on the candidates, particularly after their closed-door nominations by regional administrations.
Read also: Despite critics, govt pushes forward with acting regional head appointment
In addition, the Constitutional Court said in its opinion, issued in late April as part of a ruling on appointing acting regional heads, the government needed to consider devising regulations with "measurable and clear mechanisms” to ensure adherence to democratic principles.
