Government And The House Of Representatives Agree To Abolish Election Bill From National Legislation Program, Regional Head Elections Remain To Be Held In 2024

Illustrations (Photo: Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The House of Representatives (DPR RI) Legislation Body (Baleg) held a working meeting with the Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly today.

One of the results of the meeting was to issue the Election Bill from the 2021 Priority Bill National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) and amendments to the Prolegnas Bill 2020-2024.

Chairman of the DPR RI Baleg Supratman Andi Atgas said, with the abolition of the Election Bill, the DPR would replace it with a Bill on the Fifth Amendment to Law Number 6 of 1983 concerning General Provisions and Tax Procedures proposed by the government.

"The election (RUU) came out, then the government proposed a new bill and it was also agreed upon by the factions because this is a bill on general tax provisions", Supratman said at the Parliament Complex, Tuesday, March 9.

The number of Priority Bill Prolegnas in 2021 is 33 drafts. Then, the number of changes to the Prolegnas Bill 2020-2024 was 246 drafts.

Supratman said the reason for the government and the DPR to issue the Election Bill from the 2021 Priority Prolegnas was a necessity in a pandemic situation. He considered the bill on taxation was more needed.

"Maybe because we need this in a pandemic situation, tax regulations are important, that's what the government thinks", he said.

Thus, the simultaneous implementation of Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) for whose term of office expires in 2022 and 2023 will be held in 2024.

For information, on November 26, 2020, the Indonesian Parliament drafted the proposed Election Law Draft (RUU Pemilu). This bill, if passed, will revise the existing electoral laws.

One of the provisions contained in the Election Bill is to normalize the election schedule. From the 2017 Pilkada to 2022 and the 2018 Pilkada to 2023. This bill revises the provisions of Law Number 10 of 2016 which stipulates that the next pilkada be held simultaneously in 2024.

Initially, only the PDIP Party faction noted that they actually wanted the regional elections to be held in 2024.

Then, it was reported that President Joko Widodo held discussions with political party leaders, one of which discussed the implementation of regional elections. Until finally, Commission II of the DPR RI said that it would cancel the discussion of the Election Bill.