Pati Regent Demoped By The People, DPR Member Talks About Impeachment: Can Donate At The Supreme Court Desk

JAKARTA - Member of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives Muhammad Khozin responded to the proposal to impeach the Regent of Pati, Sudewo, who is currently being processed by the local DPRD. He emphasized that regional heads can be dismissed if they are proven to have violated their oaths and promises of office.

Khozin explained that the provisions for dismissal of regional heads are regulated in Article 78-89 of Law Number 23 of 2014 concerning Regional Government. One of the reasons for dismissal is the violation of oaths or promises of office.

"The stages of dismissal of regional heads start from the DPRD investigation through the right of inquiry. The proposal must be attended by at least three-quarters of the total number of DPRD members, and decided with the approval of at least two-thirds of the members present," Khozin told reporters, Thursday, August 14.

The opinion of the DPRD, he continued, will be examined, tried, and decided by the Supreme Court (MA) no later than 30 days after the request is received.

If the Supreme Court decides that the regional head is proven to have violated the oath of office, the DPRD leadership will submit a dismissal proposal to the president (for governor/deputy governor) or to the minister (for regent/mayor).

"This means that the argument that the regional head is directly elected by the people does not necessarily close the space for dismissal if he violates the oath and position, and is proven in the Supreme Court," said Khozin.

He emphasized that the mechanism is an instrument of DPRD supervision of regional heads.

Khozin also said that the issue of noise in Pati was not only a matter for the local DPRD, but also the domain of Commission II of the DPR.

"Of course, this is part of the supervision of Commission II of the DPR. We will explore this issue with the Ministry of Home Affairs," said the legislator from the East Java IV electoral district.

It is known that the DPRD of Pati Regency, Central Java, agreed to form a special committee (pansus) for the impeachment of the Regent of Sudewo. The special committee was formed after the masses managed to occupy the DPRD building.

A number of factions of the Pati DPRD revealed the reasons for impeachment, including the polemic of filling the positions of hospital directors, budget issues, and the increase in Rural and Urban Land and Building Taxes (PBB-P2) to around 250 percent which caused a commotion, even though the policy was eventually canceled.

Sudewo himself emphasized that he would not resign from his position despite a massive demonstration. However, he respects whatever the decision of the DPRD Pati's right to inquiry will be taken in the near future.