PDIP Proposes Election Through E-Voting, Commission II of the DPR: We Discuss All Proposals

DPR-MPR building. (Dino Januarsa-Unsplash)

Chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives, Rifqinizamy Karsayuda, ensured that his party would discuss all proposals related to the mechanism for the election of regional heads (Pilkada). Both the Golkar and PKB proposals for the Pilkada through the DPRD, as well as the PDIP proposal, namely the Pilkada directly through e-voting.

"Two things first. One, we always hold on to the provisions of laws and regulations. The highest provision of laws and regulations is the Constitution. Our Constitution entrusts the election of regional heads, governor, regent, and mayor to be elected by the people using the word democratic. Article 18 paragraph 4," said Rifqinizamy at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, January 13.

"The governor, regent, mayor, each as the head of the provincial, district, city government is democratically elected. That's one," he continued.

Second, continued Rifqinizamy, the election of governors, regents, and mayors is not included in the chapter on elections in the constitution, in this case article 22E. He emphasized, the election is held only to elect the president, vice president, and vice president.

President, members of the Indonesian House of Representatives, members of the Indonesian DPD, and members of the DPRD.

"Therefore, this democratic word, if we want to find the reference, what is meant by democratic, we can read it from the original intent, the draft of the formation of Article 18 paragraph 4 at the time of the second amendment to the constitution in 2000. At that time, the founders of the Basic Law did not find a consensus for one model of regional head election," he explained.

"There are those who directly propose, there are those who propose through the DPRD, there are those who propose other forms, for example, directly appointed as in Yogyakarta or asymmetrical forms. Therefore, whether the PDI Perjuangan proposal, the Golkar proposal, the Gerindra proposal, the PKB proposal as long as it meets the democratic indicators, Commission II will definitely discuss it," continued Rifqinizamy.

If this issue is clear, he said, then only talk about technicalities. "Later if we agree on the model, for example, directly, what is the technicality. If we agree that this is the DPRD, what is the technicality," said Rifqinizamy.

"All of these models have already been tried in Indonesia. What was ugly we perfected, right, what was good we took," concluded the NasDem legislator.

Previously, the PDI Perjuangan (PDIP) had firmly stated its stance regarding the regional head election (Pilkada) controversy. The party founded by Megawati Soekarnoputri emphasized the importance of regional heads being directly elected by the people.

This attitude was expressed in the External Recommendation of the I PDIP National Conference which was read by the Chairman of the PDIP DPD Aceh, Jamaluddin Idham, at the Beach City International Stadium (BCIS), Jakarta, Monday, January 12.

"The first National Congress of the Party emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the sovereignty of the people to determine their leaders through the implementation of direct elections to strengthen the legitimacy and certainty of a fixed five-year term," said Jamaluddin at the first PDIP National Congress.

Instead of being chosen by the DPRD, PDIP recommends transforming the voting system and strengthening the integrity of the organizer. So, the quality of democracy can continue to be maintained.

"The first National Congress of the Party encourages the implementation of low-cost elections, including implementing e-voting, enforcing laws for electoral violations such as money politics, and preventing the financing of candidate recommendations or political dowry," said Jamaluddin.