REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A legislator has urged President Joko Widodo to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to extend the tenure of regional heads to overcome the single ticket issue during the upcoming regional elections.
"I agree that the president should issue a Perppu, which will later be legitimized by the House of Representatives (DPR)," Fahri Hamzah, the deputy chairman of DPR, affirmed here on Monday.
He explained that it would be easier to extend the tenure of an incumbent than appointing an acting head who could possibly not be able to work with the bureaucracy in the region.
"I think, to make it simpler and more legitimate, just install the old official and extend his/her tenure," he emphasized.
Hamzah stated that his proposal was more logical than those put forth by others, including installing individuals who are not candidates in the upcoming elections in regions where only one ticket is running.
He stated that the extension of the tenure would only be effective until 2017 when another round of simultaneous elections of provincial governors, district heads, and city mayors would be held.
"The tenure of the incumbent would be extended until 2017," he noted.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has extended the registration of candidates in seven regions that still have one ticket including Tasikmalaya, Blitar, Surabaya, Mataram, Samarinda, and Timor Tengah Utara.
Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo affirmed that he would continue to seek a solution to the election problem.
"We will meet again, but in principle, the elections must be held in 279 regions," he remarked here on Monday.
Kumolo stated that he had several options in mind, including extending the tenure of the incumbents, postponing the elections in the problematic regions until 2017, appointing individuals who are not registered as candidates in their respective regions, and issuing a Perppu.
Kumolo said he would wait until tomorrow (Tuesday), which is the deadline for the third round of registration.
KPU Commissioner Hadar Nafis remarked that on Sunday, no candidates had come to register themselves for the elections in the seven regions.
"Perhaps, they still need more time. Let us just wait until tomorrow," he added.
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