JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – More and more members of Prabowo Subianto’s Red-and-White coalition at the House of Representatives (DPR) have expressed their stances to support direct election of regional leaders instead of to reinstate the election of regional leaders by the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) at regency/municipality and provincial level.
Talking to the press on Tuesday (September 23), Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita claimed that around 25% of 106 Golkar Party lawmakers will opt to vote against the party’s order to reinstate the election of regional leaders by the DPRDs.
Secretary of PAN faction at the DPR Teguh Juwarno earlier hinted that PAN might also jump ship to support direct election of regional leaders. Teguh said PAN will not follow the option endorsed by the Red-and-White coalition which against the spirit of the reform.
Prabowo’s Gerindra Party, meanwhile, stated that the Red-and-White coalition will remain solid to reinstate the election of regional leaders by the DPRDs.
As reported earlier, the Red-and-White coalition, that earlier controls more than 60% of the DPR seats, insisted to reject direct election of regional leaders and reinstate the election of regional leaders by the DPRDs in a discussion of Regional Election Bill (RUU Pilkada) at the DPR.
But later, President SBY’s Democratic Party that controls 148 seats (26.4%) officially stated that the party is no longer a part of the Red-and-White coalition and even jump ship to support direct election of regional leaders.
The DPR itself is expected to pass the Regional Election Bill into law alongside of the Regional Administration Bill (RUU Pemda) and the Land Bill on Thursday (September 25). (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)