...that simultaneous elections could not be carried out in 2014.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A legislator has said that the proposal to hold simultaneous presidential and legislative elections during the 2014 general elections would be difficult to accomplish.
"The possibility to realize the idea to hold a presidential election and legislative elections at the same time is very small. Only the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction agreed to the idea, while other factions in the House did not respond to it," Ganjar Pranowo, the deputy chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II, said here on Saturday.
He added that simultaneous elections could not be carried out in 2014 because the House and the government do not have the time or momentum to amend the election law.
However, Ganjar said that a simultaneous presidential and legislative election could lead to the establishment of more structured and systematic elections.
"The concept offered by the PDI Perjuangan faction on the election is that elections should only be held two times in two years, one for national elections to elect a president, members of DPR, members of Local Legislative Assembly (DPRD), members of Regional Representative Council (DPD) and one for regional head election (Pilkada). Members of each institution have a five year term of office," he said.
Ganjar noted that the benefit of holding simultaneous presidential and legislative elections was that it could save time and money while making the management of elections more efficient.
He added that simultaneous elections were not intended to anticipate the large number of voters who would not give their votes.
"It depends on the political parties. If the political parties are fighting for their ideas, the number of those abstaining from voting during the elections would not be big," he stressed.
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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