Baleg Approves Village Bill As DPR Initiative, Immediately Completed

JAKARTA - The Plenary Meeting of the Legislation Body (Baleg) of the DPR RI approved the Draft Law (RUU) on the Second Amendment to Law Number 6 of 2014 concerning Villages to become a proposed bill for the initiative of the DPR.

"Can we agree to the draft revision of the Village Law?" said Deputy Chairman of the Legislation Body (Baleg) of the DPR RI Achmad Baidowi or Awiek at the plenary meeting for the preparation of the Village Bill, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, July 3.

The question was quickly answered in agreement by the Baleg members and was greeted by the beating of the hammer which inaugurated the plenary meeting decision.

On this occasion, Awiek emphasized that Baleg agreed to be the Village Bill as a proposal for the DPR's initiative. The draft will then be brought to the Plenary Meeting to be ratified into the DPR's initiative bill.

Furthermore, Awiek hopes that the government will immediately respond to proposals from the DPR to follow up on the next discussion.

"What we have approved on this occasion is the bill for the initiative of the DPR which will be brought to the plenary session. Furthermore, we hope that the government will immediately respond to the proposal from the DPR in order to follow up in the next discussion," he said.

Awiek explained that the revision of the Village Law was cumulatively open as a result of the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) Number 15/PUU-XXI/2023.

So, he continued, even though it is not included in the Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) for 2023, the revision of the Village Law can be started as a consequence of the Constitutional Court's decision.

"Alhamdulillah, the Baleg plenary meeting, all factions agreed on the revised formulation that we proposed, and the committee (work committee) agreed on everything," said Awiek.

Thus, the Legislative Council of the Republic of Indonesia approved the Village Bill as a proposal for the DPR initiative to be brought to the Plenary Meeting to be ratified into a DPR initiative bill.

The number of changes contained in the draft are changes in the term of office of the village head, from 6 years for 3 periods, to 9 years for 2 periods. Furthermore, there is also an increase in village funds by 20 percent from regional transfer funds.

Previously, the proposed revision of the Village Law regarding the extension of the term of office of the village head was submitted by thousands of village heads in front of the DPR RI Building, Jakarta, Tuesday (17/1).

Article 39 in the Village Law stipulates that the term of office of the village head is six years from the date of inauguration. Then, they can serve a maximum of three consecutive or non-consecutive terms of office.

President Joko Widodo, Tuesday (24/1), invited village heads to express their aspirations about the term of office to the Indonesian House of Representatives.

"What is called a wish, what is called aspiration, please convey it to the DPR," said Jokowi while reviewing the Ciliwung River drain project to the East Flood Canal in East Jakarta, Tuesday (24/1).