TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hetifah Sjaifudin, Member of Commission II of The House of Representatives (DPR) said that women’s involvement in 2017 simultaneous regional election remains low. Hetifah said that women who are elected as legislatures or members of the executive offices often has blood relations with their predecessors, not elected.

"I encourage women’s involvement [in regional election]," Hetifah said on Monday, November 28, 2016.

According to Hetifah, the presence of women officials in the government will help to protect and represent aspirations of Indonesian women.

Data from the General Election Committee (KPU) revealed that only 44 women will participate in the 2017 regional elections across Indonesia. Hetifah asserted that the number as too low compared to the fact that the 2017 simultaneous regional elections will be held in 101 regions.

Titi Anggraeni, Executive Director of Association for Election and Democracy (Perludem) said that women's participation in the 2017 regional elections has dropped by 0.3 percent compared to previous regional elections. In 2015, simultaneous regional elections were held in 265 regions. Titi said that as many as 123 women candidates had taken part in the regional election back then.

DANANG FIRMANTO