Ministry Of Home Affairs Reminds Acting Regional Heads To Maintain Neutrality Ahead Of The 2024 General Election

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) has asked regional heads to maintain neutrality in order to make the 2024 General Election a success.

"Every regional head official complies with applicable regulations to minimize potential politicization efforts for regional heads in dealing with elections and regional elections in 2024," said Director General of Regional Autonomy of the Ministry of Home Affairs Akmal Malik as reported by ANTARA, Monday, July 17.

He said that according to President Joko Widodo's direction, the task of regional officials is to ensure the continuity of government administration at the time of the vacancy in the position of regional head because his term of office has ended.

"We have held a Coordination Meeting for the Formulation and Stipulation of Policies Related to the Netrality of ASN who serve as Acting Regional Heads in the Context of Supervision of the 2024 Regional Election Implementation Regulation, in order to strengthen the neutrality of the acting regional head," he said.

Acting Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands Suganda Pandapotan Pasaribu said the coordination meeting (rakor) was very necessary in the context of neutralizing the state civil apparatus (ASN).

"Because previously the speakers were from KASN, BKN, as well as from Menpan, maybe the governor's position in terms of elections will be formulated," he said.

According to him, there must be regulations that explain the position of regional head at the time of the election, especially in maintaining neutrality during the election.

"The name is the regional head, even though he is the official, he belongs to all of them. So don't let him go to party A, the party is suspected," he said.

As long as the acting regional head is fair to each party, the acting regional head can visit anyone. However, he still emphasized that he would wait for the regulations which were the result of today's activities.

"We'll just have to wait and see what the results will be. But in principle, if ASN must be neutral," he said.