REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Deputy Governor of Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok said he disagreed with a Bill on Indirect Regional Head Elections currently being tabled in Parliament.

"I disagree with the Bill, because it will rule that regional heads later would be elected by regional legislators," Ahok said here on Wednesday.

He said if regional heads would be elected by regional lawmakers, they would prioritize the interests of their political parties than the people's.

Ahok also believed that indirect regional head elections would reduce the quality of public services. Instead, the regional heads would serve legislators who elected them, he added.

He said that he would quit Gerindra party because he disagreed with the party which was one of several parties that supported the bill on indirect regional head elections.

Since the reform era, Indonesia has been exercising direct elections for president, regional leaders as well as legislators.

But, a bill is now being tabled to change the election system so regional heads would be elected by regional legislators, instead directly by the people.

Ahok said he was fed up with political parties and would focus on implementing his tasks to govern Jakarta.

He said he did not care if he would be seen as ungrateful to Gerindra which had promoted him to the deputy gubernatorial seat during the direct gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial elections in Jakarta in 2012.

Besides, he added, he was promoted not only by Gerindra but also also PDIP during the direct elections.

Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) are divided over the proposal to elect regional heads indirectly.

The All-Indonesia District Government Association (APKASI), however, is opposed to the proposal to return regional head elections to local legislative councils (DPRD), arguing it runs counter to the mandate of reform movements.

"Regional head elections that involve the people's direct participation are one of the fruits of the 1998 reform struggle. Therefore, the direct regional head elections that are more transparent must not be returned to DPRD," APKASI General Chairman Isran Noor said here on Sunday.

Returning direct regional head elections to DPRD amounts to depriving the people of their political rights, he said.

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