REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Vice president-elect Jusuf Kalla (JK) has rejected the idea of election of regional leaders (Pilkada) by the members of regional legislative assembly (DPRD). Under the revised system, governors, regents, and city mayors have to be elected by the members of DPRD.

JK stressed that this country must preserve the system that allow people to elect their leader directly and and simultaneously.

"The government expenditure of electing Pilkada directly and simultaneously will be cheaper than through the members of the DPRD," he emphasized.

JK stated that the election of Pilkada by the DPRD members would only increase the number of problems compared with the direct elections held in previous years.

Earlier, a chairman of the National Mandate Party Didi Supriyanto said the current system of electing Pilkada directly by the people should be retained.

"Election of Pilkada directly by the people should be maintained, as DPRD is made up of factions that could not represent the constitutional rights of the people," he stated here on Tuesday.

Supriyanto's statement is against the views of his party, which is part of a coalition in the parliament revising the present system. He admitted that there were shortcomings and weaknesses in the direct election system and that corrections and improvements were needed, but the substance of direct election was an absolute right of the people.

He added that Pilkada would elect regional administrators to lead the people in the regions. Therefore, "It is very much logical" if the Pilkada are elected directly by the people."

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