TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The decision of the Working Committee of the Legal Commission of the House of Representatives (DPR) that has complicated the requirements for independent candidates for regional elections shows the shallow way of thinking of the so-called people’s representatives.

This is in line with the General Election Commission (KPU) that once came up with the idea of requiring signature on the stamp duty – instead of only residential identity card (KTP) - for those who support independent candidates.

The public is suspicious that all those regulations are none other than efforts to hamper independent candidates.

On Wednesday last week, the decision was made by the Working Committee of the yang deliberated the revision of the law on the election of governor, regent and mayor.

Now, the DPR is still awaiting the government’s opinion.

If the government agrees, the chance of independent candidates to take part in regional elections will be smaller.

Should that happen, it is people the people, those who long for qualified regional leaders, who will take the brunt.

Independent candidacy was initially regulated by Law Number 32 of 2004 on regional government. At that time, independent candidates were applied only in Aceh Province. Four years later, through Law Number 12 of 2008 on regional government, independent candidates are now open for all regions.

Law Number 32 of 2004 regulates that independent candidates can register as a governor and vice governor pair if they are supported by at least 6.5 percent of the total population for a province whose population reaches 2 million people.

For regent or mayor candidates in regions with the population of less than 250,000 people, they must be supported by at least 6.5 percent of the total population.

The regulation was then mandated by Law Number 8 of 2015 on the election of governor, regent, and mayor.

The requirement for independent candidates was then increased into 10 percent of the total population, while for regent or mayor candidates of cities or regencies with the population of less than 250,000, they must be supported by at least 6.5 percent of the total population.

This provision was sued at the Constitutional Court in 2015.

As a result, the Constitutional Court ruled that the requirement is not based on the number of population but by the final voter list (DPT) of the previous election.

Now the DPR is very eager to raise the requirement again.

They proposed two alternatives, namely independent candidates must garner a minimum of 11.5-15 percent of total population or are supported by at least 10 percent of the total population.

The two alternatives are actually equally tough.

Here, it is clearly that the regulation that is made amidst the people’s voices that support independent candidates like Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, is none other then a form of the fear that their political parties will be defeated.

We hope that the government will reject requirements approved by the working committee on the revision of the law on the election of governor, regent and mayor.

If the regulation is approved by the government, it will not only diminish the hopes of the people who long for regional leaders with integrity, but also perpetuate the ‘tradition’ of voting for regional leaders who do not have any visions and missions for their regions but to accumulate wealth through illegal ways - actions that have made many of them are now behind bars.

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