Accept APDESI, Puan Maharani: No More DPR Considerations To Block Revision Of Village Laws

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, accompanied by other DPR leaders, met representatives of the village head APDESI/PHOTO: Nailin In Saroh-VOI

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, received representatives of the village head mass (Kades) who again demonstrated in front of the DPR building today. The village head urged the ratification of the Revision of Law Number 6 of 2014 concerning Villages (RUU Desa).

In an audience with representatives of the village head, Puan was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, Chairman of Commission III of the House of Representatives Bambang Wuryanto and Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives Utut Adianto.

In front of the village heads, Puan stated the DPR's commitment to discussing the Village Bill after the 2024 General Election. He emphasized that the DPR would not hinder the revision of the Village Law.

"Our commitment in the House of Representatives, in the future villages must be better and more prosperous. We are here to complete the Village Law Revision," said Puan in the room of the Muis building, the Nusantara building, Tuesday, February 6.

The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture explained the reason why the DPR decided to continue discussing the Village Bill after the 2024 General Election. Puan said that the decision was taken together to maintain conduciveness while at the same time avoiding conflicts of interest because the times before the election were very sensitive.

Puan also asked all village heads and village officials to understand the reasons why the Village Bill has not been ratified at this time. He ensured that the DPR would continue to support the aspirations and hopes of the village heads even though the discussion of the Village Bill was continued after the election.

"There should be no more assumption that we are obstructing the Revision of the Village Law. We support the aspirations of the village head but there is a mechanism that is passed again. What we hope for the gentlemen has been carried out, it's just a next mechanism," said Puan.

"I ask everyone to return to the village, tell my friends, we will guard (the Village Bill)," he continued.

The PDIP legislator for the Central Java electoral district also advised the village head to help make the 2024 election a success, which is only a matter of days. He hopes that village officials can participate in maintaining and creating conduciveness so that the 2024 election can run smoothly and peacefully.

"Soon voting, please keep the village safe, peaceful, orderly. Let the people choose the leader of Indonesia to continue to be united and intact," said Puan.

A total of 21 representatives of the village head who met and had a dialogue with Puan also agreed to wait for the ratification of the Village Bill until the 2024 General Election was completed.

The village head representatives are ranks from the All-Indonesian Village Government Association (APDESI), the Nusantara Village Head and Village Apparatus Association, the Association of Village Consultative Body Members throughout Indonesia (PABDSI), the Indonesian Village Apparatus Association (PPDI), and the Village Head Association (AKD).