TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo has asked the upcoming 2015 Regional Elections to stay on schedule, despite the fact that some regions have only had one party submit one candidate-pair to their local General Elections Commissions (KPUD).

"The President have instructed all political parties to help ensure the success of the regional elections by encouraging more candidates to come forth and compete in the elections," said the Head of the President's Communications Office, Teten Masduki, in front of the President's Office on Friday, Juy 31, 2015.

According to KPU data, 12 provinces have extended the deadline for registrations until August 31, 2015, because only one candidate-pair has registered until today - one of which had no candidate-pair register at all.

The option of issuing a Presidential Decree to solve the issue, explained Teten, will only be discussed once the new deadline passes.

Tetent said that the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, the Interior Ministry, as well as KPU has begun to discuss the issue - but these institutions have yet to discuss the possibility, as well as the content of the Presidential Decree, should the deadline passes without any improvement.

Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto, concurs and said that such Decree - which will take precedent over KPU Regulation Number 12 of 2015, will only be used as a last resort. "Other options will be discussed on a later date," he said.

According to Andi, the government will not craft the decree to suit the situation in each areas, and that all areas should adhere to the decree should the President elects to utilize such option. "The decree is indiscriminate towards either the region, the candidate, and the parties - it has to be followed, once issued," he said.

TIKA PRIMANDARI