Hundreds Of Former RT/RW Heads Reject Makassar Mayor's Policy

MAKASSAR - Hundreds of former Heads of Residents and Neighborhood Associations (RT/RW) rejected the Makassar Mayor Moh Ramdhan Pomanto's policy of changing positions by appointing a Person in Charge (PJ) as a substitute for the local RT/RW position.

"We demand clarity on the regulations, by conveying this aspiration to the council so that it can be followed up immediately," said spokesman for the action, Junaedi, at the Makassar City DPRD office, South Sulawesi, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, March 15.

According to him, there were two demands made during the action, namely refusing the appointment of PJ Head of RT/RW and Community Empowerment Institutions (LPM).

Then, urged the mayor to carry out the stages of election according to the applicable regulations in Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 41 of 2001 concerning guidelines for the formation of LPM.

In addition, it is requested that an election be held immediately according to the rules with a time of 3 times 24 hours so that there is no commotion that has been polemic in various sub-districts.

"We consider the policy to be flawed by legal procedures. Because the management of RT/RW and LPM ends when a new management is formed. Until now there is no new board, even if there is a PJ when elected. This is just a point of view," said Junaedi emphasizing .

Even the Makassar Mayor's Regulation (Perwali) Number 27 of 2022 concerning Institutional Arrangements and Strengthening the Functions of RT and RW Chairs issued on March 1, 2022, he said, contradicts the Regional Regulation. In fact, Perwali is a derivative of the existing Perda.

Currently there are 5,975 RT/RW heads who have been replaced by PJs to fill vacancies, so it is suspected that there is a discriminatory element in the appointment of PJ as RT/RW Chair from the impact of political support on the Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Makassar in 2020.

The head of the RT/RW in Makassar is given a salary of Rp. 1 million per person and is received every three months, effective October 1, 2020. The basis refers to Perwali Number 57 of 2020 concerning Determination of Incentives for RT/RW Makassar City which is budgeted from the APBD.

Previously, the Mayor of Makassar, Moh Ramdhan Pomanto responded to the refusal to appoint thousands of PJ Heads of RT/RW. The policy was taken, said the man who is familiarly called Danny Pomanto, only to fill vacancies at the lowest level until the term of office expires.

"There is no reason to make a fuss. Someone also sent a message to me why it was replaced, it was not replaced, but indeed the term of office has ended. The mayor has just been replaced. Appointment (PJ) is only temporary," he argued.