Hasyim Widhiarto and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Efforts to reinstate the direct elections of regional heads received a lift Monday when former president and Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vowed to support deliberation of two government regulations in lieu of law (Perppu) on regional elections (Pilkada) at the House of Representatives.

Yudhoyono announced the party's commitment on Monday after a closed-door meeting with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the Presidential Palace.

The current chairman of green energy campaigner Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) said that his party would support the Perppu, which he himself issued in October, to annul the controversial Pilkada Law that revoked direct elections for regional heads.

"We share a similar position [on the Perppu]. [We] will jointly defend the Perppu so that it can be approved by the House," Yudhoyono told reporters after the 30-minute meeting. "For me and Pak Jokowi, this is in line with public expectations and it is good for the sustainability of our democracy."

Heightened tensions following the July presidential election united the political parties that had supported former presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto to back the Pilkada bill, which was opposed by Jokowi's coalition of political parties.

Lawmakers from Yudhoyono's Democratic Party opted to abstain from voting, staging a walkout that allowed the bill to pass and vesting Regional Legislative Councils (DPRDs) with the power to elect regional heads.

Democratic Party lawmakers argued that their proposals in the bill were not accommodated. Bowing to public pressure following his party's walkout, Yudhoyono issued the Perppu.

Leaders of the political parties in the opposition Red-and-White Coalition signed a pact to back the Democratic Party's proposal to support the Perppu in exchange for the latter's support in the opposition coalition at the House and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The Democratic Party, declaring itself an independent caucus at the House, is considering ending its alliance with the coalition after Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie pledged during his party's recent national congress to reject the Perppu.

Jokowi has opened the possibility for the Democratic Party to join the ruling coalition Yudhoyono announces his commitment to the Perppu

As the second-largest political party at the House and the leader of the Red-and-White Coalition, Golkar's move could jeopardize the survival of the Perppu.

Jokowi, backed by the Great Indonesia Coalition of political parties, has opened the possibility for the Democratic Party, the country's fourth-largest political party, to join the ruling coalition.

"In the meantime, [we will deal with] the Perppu. It is possible to continue [the cooperation] later. Why not? At least [this] can be an entrance [for forming an alliance]," he said.

Both leaders, however, remained tight-lipped when asked about details of their meeting. "Only me and Pak SBY know [each other's] commitment," Jokowi said, laughing.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the country's largest political party and the leader of Jokowi's ruling coalition, has lost several pivotal battles at the House to the Red-and-White Coalition, which is in the majority. The Pilkada Law was one of those battles.

Support from the Democratic Party for the Perppu would provide more votes to endorse the Perppu should political factions at the House bring deliberations to a vote.

With the recent addition of the United Development Party (PPP), the ruling Great Indonesia Coalition has secured a total of 246 House seats in support of the Perppu. With the addition of 61 Democratic Party votes, the number would become 307, more than half of the 560 House seats.

"We highly appreciate and welcome our colleagues from the Democratic Party faction to join supporting it [the Perppu]. We do hope that this will mark the beginning of a partnership at the House," secretary of the PDI-P faction, Arif Wibowo, said.

The House, which is currently on one-month recess, will hold a plenary meeting to discuss the matter when it reconvenes on January 12th next year. The plenary is expected to conduct a voting session if the 10 factions fail to reach a decision based on musyawarah mufakat [deliberations for consensus].

"We hope that the Democratic Party, which has publicly announced its support for the Perppu, will actually back us with the votes of its lawmakers during the plenary that is slated to take place in the next House session. Time will tell," Arief said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/09/sby-jokowi-court-political-coalition.html