Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has said to target completing the Election Law this year. Currently, the government and the People’s Legislative Assembly (DPR) are deliberating contentious issues such as simultaneous presidential and regional leaders elections, enhancement of function and authorities of Regional Representative Assembly (DPD) and DPR requirement for political parties for elections and parliamentary threshold.
“We will finish the Election Law by the end of the year to build a multi-parties presidential governance,” said the Minister when becoming keynote speaker in the seminar entitled Simultaneous Elections 2019 on Tuesday (28/4) at Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM.
Once finished, the amended Law could be made the guidelines for organising future elections. He said the amendments being made to the Law still accomodated aspirations from society and political parties. “It is the commitment of the government and DPR to deliberate the Election Law to respond to the verdict issued by the Constitutional Court. In principle, the President’s direction, people’s aspiration, and political parties are all accommodated,” he said.
On the simultaneous elections 2017, the Minister considered it running well, peaceful, and safe. Assumptions saying certain regions were vulnerable to conflicts proved untrue. “Two regional elections have run well and peaceful. Jakarta’s elections were very dynamic, in good order, and peaceful. In Papua the noken system ran well while in Aceh it ran democratically,” he said.
He further said the elected regional leaders would participate in a training to be held by the Ministry and at National Resilience Agency (Lemhanas). “As a leader, the elected heads of regions ought to leave their attachment to their political parties, be trustful in drafting development policy for the benefits of all,” he said.
Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, said the leaders elected by the people ought to be a good role model for society. According to Sultan, leadership was not a contestation of popularities. “Leaders should not fear if they need to anger people or take bigger responsibilities,” he said.
Sri Sultan reinstated that leaders need to be more frank to confront people or groups that need to be confronted. “Leaders are not effective if they’re not willing to confront people that should be confronted,” he said.
He added a leader should not ask to be serviced or feel they have the power. “True leadership is about giving services, being people’s servant, willing to sacrifice, and giving the best with all his might,” he said.