Bawaslu Chairman: Local Elections Through DPRD or Directly Democratic, Depends on Lawmakers

DOK BETWEEN

MAKASSAR - The Chairman of the Central Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Rahmat Bagja responded to the proposal that the election of regional heads (pilkada) would be returned or chosen by the Regional Representative Council (DPRD) in their respective areas.

Bagja said that both direct elections through the Pilkada or handed over to the DPRD can all be carried out democratically.

"What is clear is that it is democratic, so it can be through the DPRD, it can also be directly, it depends on the lawmaker," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 12.

He explained that his party as a supervisory body would of course carry out any decisions that had been agreed upon and of course based on the applicable rules.

"We leave it entirely to the lawmakers," he said.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the Legal and Training Division of the South Sulawesi Bawaslu, Andarias Duma, said this issue was a challenge because there would be changes to the election law and it is currently still in the drafting stage.

Another member of the South Sulawesi Bawaslu, Saiful Jihad, said that this year the supervisory agency will be faced with various strategic challenges, especially budget constraints, regulatory dynamics, and supervision.

Previously, a number of political parties had discussed the return of the regional head election to the respective regional DPRD. The reason is to reduce the budget. However, if it is implemented, some parties consider this issue as a setback for democracy and are full of allegations of corruption.