Acting Officials’ Gambling

KOMPAS/IQBAL BASYARI

Screenshot of the working meeting of the House of Representatives Commission II with the Ministry of Home Affairs, KPU, Bawaslu, and DKPP to discuss the design and concept of organizing the 2024 General Election and Regional Head Election at the Senayan Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Monday (6/9/2021).

The schedule for the 2024 simultaneous regional elections (Pilkada) has not yet been confirmed. However, the political ripples will at some point be felt in May 2022, when a number of regions begin to be led by acting officials.

On 15 May 2022, five provinces, namely Bangka Belitung, Banten, Gorontalo, West Sulawesi and West Papua, begin to be led by acting officials. They will be followed by six cities and 37 regencies on 22 May 2022. The number of regions that will be led by acting officials continues to rise to 101 this year, and then 170 other regions will be added in 2023.

The appointment of acting officials is a consequence of not holding Pilkada in 2022 and 2023. In accordance with Article 201 Paragraph (9) of Law (UU) No. 10/2016 on Pilkada, acting officials are appointed to fill vacancies left by regional heads whose positions expire in 2022 and 2023. The incumbent will serve until the definitive results of the 2024 Pilkada are obtained. This means they will serve for a long time, some even for more than two years. During their term of office, there will also be a fairly important political event, namely the 2024 General Election.

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This situation gives temporary leaders a very important position. Moreover, a number of regions to be led by acting officials are very strategic politically. For example, West Java, East Java and Central Java are the three provinces with the highest number of voters in the general elections. Meanwhile, Jakarta, which will also begin to be led by the temporary leader in October 2022, is a barometer of national politics.

The neutrality of the bureaucracy in general elections is something that should not be negotiable. However, the intricacies of practical political practice often show that regional leaders have a role in determining the face of general elections in their regions.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Rows of flags of political parties participating in the 2019 Simultaneous Elections at the edge of the flyover in the Senayan area, Jakarta, Sunday (7/4/2019).

Despite the strategic position of the temporary leaders, the rules governing their appointment are still relatively minimal. In Law No. 10/2016 it is only stated that the acting regional heads are appointed from the state civil servants (ASN) from JPT Madya (middle high leadership) positions for the acting governors and JPT Pratama for regental/mayoral vacancies.

With regard to the technicalities of the appointments, according to Home Minister Tito Karnavian, for the provinces, he will propose three names, which will then be chosen by the President. For cities and regencies, the Home Ministry will receive proposals from the governors, and later their track records will be scrutinized.

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Solutions are needed so that the appointment of acting officials does not create unnecessary political conflicts and prejudices. The appointment of acting officials in the previous period should be a lesson. The discourse of selection in appointing acting officials needs to be taken into consideration. Selections, especially those held in a transparent manner, will not only open up greater opportunities to get qualified acting officials, but also build public trust, both in those acting officials and the government.

There is a strong hope that the appointment of the acting officials will not be a part, for example, of securing electoral interests in general elections, because the price to be paid will be very expensive.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.