Direct Regional Head Election Can Still Be Held in Jakarta

Despite the draft (RUU) of regional head election through Jakarta Parliament (DPRD) has been ratified in House of Representatives (DPR) plenary meeting this early morning, Friday (9/26), Jakarta can still hold direct election.

The regional head election draft which has been ratified in DPR plenary meeting does not affect in regional head election process in the capital city

“The regional head election draft which has been ratified in DPR plenary meeting does not affect in regional head election process in the capital city,” stated Head of Jakarta General Election Commission (KPU), Sumarno, when contacted by beritajakarta.com, Friday (9/26).

According to Sumarno, Jakarta has specificity because it is the capital city of Indonesia, as mandated in Law (UU) No. 29/2007 on the Governance of Jakarta as the Capital City of Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

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“The Article 10 Law No. 29/2007 mentions that Jakarta Province is led by a governor and assisted by a vice governor who are chosen directly through regional head election,” he uttered.

So, referring on that specificity rule, Sumarno continued, regional head election process in the capital city does not affect to regional head election through DPRD policy.

“Explicitly, regional head election in Jakarta will still be held directly because Jakarta is regulated in a special law. Besides Jakarta, other provinces in Indonesia that have the same legal umbrella are Yogyakarta, Aceh, and Papua,” he informed.

Even so, Sumarno told that Jakarta’s regional head election in 2017 can be changed and done through DPRD if the law that specifically regulated Jakarta was altered.

“Regional head election in Jakarta can be changed from direct to through DPRD with condition the Law No. 29/2007 on the Governance of Jakarta as the Capital City of Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia is altered first,” he said.