Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said on Wednesday that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's plan to issue an emergency presidential decree to cancel a newly passed law abolishing direct elections would not work because there was "no pressing problem" that warranted such a move.
"Even if SBY insists on issuing the decree I am confident the House of Representatives will not legalize the regulation," PKS senior lawmaker Hidayat Nur Wahid said on Wednesday.
President Yudhoyono announced a plan on Tuesday to issue a governmental regulation in lieu of law, known as a Perppu, to roll back the regional elections law, which has provoked widespread anger toward Yudhoyono for the defining role he had in passing the bill.
So concerned was the president for the outlook of Indonesian democratic integrity and the robustness of his legacy that he cut short his official visit to Japan to fly back to Jakarta to address the issue.
The law was drafted by Yudhoyono's Democratic Party but pushed through by the Red-and-White coalition led by Prabowo Subianto. It eliminates direct elections for mayors, district heads and governors – instead placing their appointment in the hands of regional selection boards.
Despite the uncertain outlook for the success of the Perppu, Yudhoyono said he would put it to the House in its next session.
The presidential regulation – which in the hierarchy of Indonesian legislation holds the same status as a law – would remain valid at least until the House voted to cancel it.
Hidayat said a Perppu should be issued only in an emergency situation – and that ending direct elections should not be considered an emergency.
"We have no pressing problem right now, no political emergency that needs a Perppu," Hidayat said, adding that the number of lawmakers in the Red-and-White coalition exceeded the number of lawmakers who opposed the law – increasing the likelihood the Perppu would be rejected.
The PKS's deputy secretary general, Fahri Hamzah, said Yudhoyono's Perppu was destined to be a wasted effort. "It will not be implemented if the lawmakers say no," he said.
Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/pks-tools-throw-spanner-sbys-election-bill-rework/