Minister Of Home Affairs Responds To The 2024 Regional Head Election Proposal To Advance To September

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian. (ANTARA/HO-Puspen Ministry of Home Affairs)

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian opened his voice regarding the proposed implementation of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Elections to be moved to September from the beginning of November 27, 2024.

According to Tito, the proposal to advance the election schedule emerged from the results of discussions between political parties, political observers, and the government. From the discussion, he continued, a potential problem emerged if the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada was still held on November 27.

"The philosophy of Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning Pilkada, simultaneously 552 regions (contained over) 38 provinces, 98 cities, 416 regencies; it is all simultaneously. The first time in the history of the Indonesian nation, simultaneously carried out with the same intention as the presidential and vice presidential elections, and (member elections) legislative; so that there is a similarity of term of office," Tito said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 5.

According to him, if there are similarities in the term of office from the central to regional governments, the preparation of the five-year medium-term development plan (RPJM) will be in sync.

"Previously, we saw that, for example, Pak Jokowi was inaugurated in October 2014, (then in 2017 there was a regional election in 101 regions, after that there was another 2018 Pilkada, there was a regent, a new governor in the middle by making their own five-year development plan. As a result, there was no synchronization. In the field there were those who built the dock, in the area they didn't build the road, the fins," he explained.

He also gave an example of the discrepancy in the development plan in North Sumatra that occurred in 2021. At that time, residents of Liang Melas Datas in Karo Regency sent three tons of oranges to President Jokowi.

"Someone brought a orange truck to the president. Why? (Because) the road was not built by the regent (Karo). Why isn't the construction plan in sync? So, finally an idea emerged for the term of office of the president with the governor, regent, mayor, it's not much different; so this is parallel," said Tito.

In addition, the former police chief mentioned Article 201 paragraph (7) of the Pilkada Law which states that the 2020 Pilkada results will end in 2024. This means that on December 31, 2024, the results of the 2020 Pilkada must be filled by the acting person first.

"The risk is like that. In addition to being carried out on November 27 to January 1, will these 552 (regions) be completed within one month? In our experience, there is a dispute, there is a process at the KPU; at least some of it is completed three months. If you want three months, if it is postponed; then the distance from the president's inauguration to the regions will be further. If you want to be close, the idea is from friends, yes, from political party friends, from observers; instead, it is advanced, advanced to three months from January 1. December, November, October, September best time," he explained.

Therefore, he continued, if the 2024 Pilkada is still held in November, the inauguration of regional heads as a result of the election will not be the same. In fact, said Tito, the purpose of the simultaneous regional elections is that regional head inauguration is carried out simultaneously as well.

"Until January, so that all of them do not work throughout Indonesia. The Acting has limited authority, there are four that are not allowed, different from definitive ones. The legitimacy if the people choose will be strong. So, the idea is friends, from us to chat (there is a proposal for the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Election to be moved forward) to September," he said.

Tito said the proposal to advance the schedule for the 2024 Pilkada to September was still being discussed, including with the General Elections Commission (KPU). The KPU, according to him, can run the regional elections smoothly if the voting is pushed forward.

"We know that there will be a second round of the presidential election in June, so that the stages can take place, so that in September there will be a vote," he added.

Tito also admitted that the Ministry of Home Affairs had no problem with the proposal. According to him, as long as the KPU is ready to implement it and the proposal is rational, then there is nothing wrong with it.

"Where is the position of the Ministry of Home Affairs? We see that it is quite rational as long as the KPU is ready to work on them feeling capable, why is it in September? And then at the end of December it will be finished. When December 31, all regional heads resulting from the 2020 Pilkada will be completed, then January 1 will be filled with definitive officials from the 2024 Pilkada," said Tito.