By Ainur Rohmah
JAKARTA
Indonesia’s president-elect said Friday his party coalition will work to pass the outgoing president’s bill to override a recent law that replaced direct local elections with indirect ones in which local officials would be selected by members of the legislature rather than the people.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued two regulations in lieu of law Thursday night to restore the direct election of provincial governors, district chiefs and mayors, after 226 members of the outgoing parliament - from a faction supportive of losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto - banded together in a "Red and White Coalition" that voted in support of the move last Friday.
Only 135 MPs – led by the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) – voted in favor of direct elections after 142 members of the Democrat Party -- led by Yudhoyono -- walked out of the hearing before the vote, despite having announced their support.
President-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo – the PDI-P’s nominee in last July's election who will be sworn in October 20 – was quoted by Kompas.com as saying Friday that his party coalition “will fight for direct elections."
At a press conference Thursday, Yudhoyono said: "I fully support direct elections with fundamental improvements. Although I respect the House’s decision to decide regional representatives, allow me to still seek the people's sovereignty."
Yudhoyono, who was overseas during last week’s vote and has come under fire for not being able to prevent the law’s passage, stressed the two regulations were urgently needed to protect 204 local elections scheduled for next year from any potential disorder resulting from drastic changes.
He expressed his understanding of any disappoint among people who “feel deprived of their basic rights by indirect election," and who see last the law as a setback for democracy in Indonesia.
The new regulations include ten proposed improvements to direct elections – which critics say are too expensive and fraught with fraud – such as budget savings, bans on money politics and on “black campaigns,” and support for campaign funds accountability.
In order for the regulations to become law, the House of Representatives must ratify them during its next session.
The legislature, however, is currently controlled by parties loyal to the Red and White Coalition.
Twitter users took to the Internet Friday to express their support for the regulations with the hastag #TerimaKasihSBY, which means “ThankyouSBY” with a reference to Yudhoyono’s initials.
@YantiRosmawati wrote, “SBY very democratic, meet the complaints of the people, thank you sir. #TerimakasihSBY."
The currently trending hastag replaced last week’s #ShameOnYouSBY.
Indirect elections have not been a practice in Indonesia since the military dictatorship of former president Suharto ended 16 years ago.
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