Expert Values President Prabowo's Idea On Regional Head Elections Through Non-Relevant DPRD

Illustration of election elections directly choosing the DPRD, DPD, DPR, regional heads to heads of state as a form of democracy. (Freepik-Rizky Aldiansyah)

Political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, Jamiluddin Ritonga, assessed that President Prabowo Subianto's idea regarding regional head elections including governors, regents and mayors being elected by the DPRD was no longer relevant.

According to him, the proposal, which was proposed in a speech at the peak of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Golkar Party, should not have appeared. Moreover, the argument about being more efficient and not taking too much costs is obsolete.

The reason is, the cost of this expensive democratic party has been known to the public since the nation's children chose the political system directly.

"If you really want to be efficient and low cost, the authoritarian system is of course the most appropriate. The president only needs to show who will be governor, regent, and mayor according to their tastes," said Jamiluddin, Friday, December 13.

"It's just that Indonesia cannot implement an authoritarian system. Our constitution has firmly reminded all the nation's children that Indonesia adheres to a democratic system," he continued.

Therefore, Jamiluddin continued, whoever is the leader of this country must carry out a democratic system. This system must also be used as a reference in determining the regional head election system.

According to him, the direct regional head election is in line with the constitutional mandate. Jamiluddin assessed that the President did not need to seek arguments to annul the regional elections directly and back through the DPRD.

"If it is considered too expensive, a solution must be found to overcome it. Not by changing the system that has been regulated in the legislation," he said.

Jamiluddin suggested that President Prabowo should stop the discourse on regional elections through the DPRD.

"Discourses like this only make this nation retreat to a time of darkness. Reformers certainly don't want that to happen," he concluded.