Proposal to drop deputy regional heads from local elections gains traction
A proposal to stop directly electing deputy regional heads has gained traction in the House of Representatives, with lawmakers arguing that the current system often produces dysfunctional partnerships and unnecessary political and administrative costs.
A proposal to eliminate the co-election of deputy regional heads has gained momentum in the House of Representatives, according to recent discussions. Lawmakers contend that this system frequently results in dysfunctional partnerships and incurs excessive political and administrative expenditures. The idea was first presented during a meeting between the House Commission II, which handles home affairs, and the Home Ministry on July 30.
Commission II member Muhammad Khozin of the National Awakening Party (PKB) raised concerns over the frequent "disharmony between elected regional heads and their deputies." He proposed that the two positions should no longer be elected jointly. Instead, voters would directly choose governors, mayors, and regents, who would then appoint a deputy.
Khozin emphasized that the Regional Elections Law should be revised to prevent deputies from being mere vote-getters during elections. Several other pro-government lawmakers have backed the proposal, including Ahmad Doli Kurnia of the Golkar Party, who believes it could minimize conflicts between regional heads and their deputies, enabling them to function more efficiently.
Doli explained that these conflicts waste energy that should be directed towards enhancing local government effectiveness and the quality of public services in each region.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
