Gerindra: Proposal Pilkada Melalui DPRD Perlu Dikaji Mendalam

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives from the Gerindra Party Faction, Bahtra Banong, responded to the proposal for the election of regional heads (pilkada) through the DPRD. According to him, the Pilkada proposal does not have to be studied in depth first.

Bahtra said his party appreciated the discourse. His party will also accommodate the proposal as input material in the revision of the Election Law.

"We will accommodate various proposals and opinions. (But) Of course it must be studied in more depth," said Bahtra when contacted, Monday, December 22.

However, Bahtra emphasized that the DPD and the government had not discussed the idea of the DPRD-elected Pilkada seriously. Because, he said, the government is currently focusing on handling the flood and landslide disasters that occurred in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra at the end of November.

"For now, the government is focusing on disaster management in Sumatra," said the legislator from the Southeast Sulawesi District.

Previously, the 2025 I National Leadership Meeting (Rapimnas) of the Golkar Party produced a number of recommendations, one of which was that the Regional Head Election (Pilkada) was chosen through the Regional Representative Council (DPRD).

Golkar Party Chairman Bahlil Lahadalia said the recommendation was conveyed as a form of implementation of people's sovereignty, with emphasis on public involvement and participation in the implementation process.

"Golkar Party proposes the Regional Head Election through the Regional Representative Council," Bahlil said in a press release received in Jakarta, Sunday, December 21.

The proposal was also conveyed by the Chairman of the PKB, Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) in front of President Prabowo Subianto at the 27th anniversary of the PKB at the Jakarta Convention Center on July 23, 2025.

"We propose improvements to the governance of national politics. It is necessary to create a more conducive political governance," said Muhaimin Wednesday, July 23 evening.

Cak Imin proposed two patterns in the election of regional heads. The first pattern, the governor becomes the representative of the central government in the area directly appointed by the president. The second pattern, the regional head at the level of regent or mayor is chosen by the people through the district and city DPRD.

The Coordinating Minister for Social Empowerment believes that changing the election system will create a conducive climate for accelerating national development.

According to Cak Imin, the direct election costs irrational costs and makes the local government still dependent on the central government in all aspects, not yet independent or autonomous.

"It's time for the regional elections to be evaluated in total and calculated between the benefits and harms, so that there is good political consolidation. Many kiai and ulama have proposed improvements to the regional head election system," he said.