JAKARTA: Protesters burnt tyres outside Indonesia’s parliament yesterday as lawmakers were set to decide whether to scrap the direct election of local leaders, a move activists warn will roll back a key reform in the young democracy.
Lawmakers were expected to vote on a proposal that would end the current system of mayors, provincial governors and district heads being chosen by the public, and hand power to local parliaments to pick them.
Supporters argue that the hundreds of polls held across the world’s biggest archipelago nation every few years are enormously costly and in reality only allow the wealthy to win election.
However critics say the move is an attempt by the elite to reverse the decentralisation of power from Jakarta introduced after the downfall of dictator Suharto in 1998, and argue it will increase corruption as would-be leaders may have to strike deals with local MPs.
The proposal has sparked much public anger, and as lawmakers began to debate the measure yesterday 400 pro-democracy activists staged a noisy demonstration outside parliament. They burnt tyres, chanted and rattled the gates at the legislature, as hundreds of riot police and armoured vehicles guarded the building.
“It is the right of the people to choose their leaders,” said Jumhur Hidayat, head of activist group The People’s Movement for Direct Elections. “If the regional legislatures make the decision, they could just be paid to decide whoever they want, who will serve their interests, not the people’s interests.”
Critics also view it as an attempt at revenge by the opponents of Joko Widodo, who was elected as president in July and will be inaugurated next month -- he is an outsider who started his political career by being directly elected as a local mayor.
The draft bill is being pushed by parties that backed his opponent for the presidency, Prabowo Subianto, an ex-general with a chequered human rights record.
AFP
