JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has expressed his willingness to keep the direct election of regional leaders through an interview released by the Democratic Party’s media account on Youtube, Sunday (September 14).

SBY, however, demands the public to understand about various types of negative impacts associated with direct election mechanism. So therefore, SBY, in his capacity as Democratic Party Chairman, said that the Democratic Party has been thinking hardly on how to improve the direct election mechanism of regional leaders.

He said his party will release it official decision related to the Regional Election Bill (RUU Pilkada) in next few days.

As reported earlier, the discussion on the Regional Election Bill has became the never ending debate between nine factions of political parties at the House of Representatives (DPR). At the heart of  the debate is the controversial proposal to erase direct election of regional leaders and reinstate election of regional leaders by the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) at regency/municipality and provincial level.

Six out of those nine factions, including Democratic Party, associated in the so-called Red-and-White coalition supported the controversial proposal. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)