Yudhoyono tweeted on his Twitter account on Monday about what happened before the signing of the Perppu to cancel the direct election system.
Yudhoyono tweeted he had met Hatta Rajasa, on Thursday (Sept 30, 2014), who brought him messages and conveyed the expectations of the leaders and members of the Red-White Coalition, or Koalisi Merah Putih (KMP).
"Although the Democratic Party is not part of the KMP, they wanted unity in the DPR (House of Representatives) and MPR (Peoples Consultative Assembly). To the invitation, I responded positively with one condition," Yudhoyono tweeted,"... if KMP supports the Perppu on Direct Election with some improvements that I will issue."
Yudhoyono said that the improved direct Regional Election was a priority as it was the embodiment and manifestation of the peoples sovereignty.
Hatta then delivered Yudhoyonos message to the chair of the KMP meeting. "On that very night, they agreed to support the Perppu," Yudhoyono stated.
The talks on Perppu continued the next day. Yudhoyono wanted a written statement of their support for Perppu.
"Since the Golkar Party Chair was abroad, although he had agreed, I called him directly to ensure unanimity," Yudhoyono remarked.
By 8 p.m. local time, Yudhoyono had received written consent on the unanimity in the DPR and MPR and the support for Perppu with certain improvements.
The consent was signed by the chairs and general secretaries of the Golkar Party, the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party, the Prosperous Justice Party, the United Development Party and the Democratic Party, Yudhoyono said.
"Will the consent be violated? Politics is indeed dynamic, but there must be ethics. I believe in the KMP," Yudhoyono tweeted.
Yudhoyono noted, "The Perppu addresses the KMP's anxiety about the negative aspects of the direct Regional Election."
Yudhoyono also ascertained that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle will support the Perppu.
"I am optimistic. The steps and the commitment of the House toward the people will ensure this Perppu is passed," Yudhoyono said.
Earlier, on Thursday, President Yudhoyono signed two Perppus on regional elections, following the passage of the bill by the DPR recently.
The DPR passed a bill to regulate indirect regional elections last Friday. The passage of the bill had created an uproar. President Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party members were criticized for walking out during the voting, thus allowing the bill to be passed.
President Yudhoyono said Perppu Number 1 of 2014 was about the election of provincial governors, district heads and city mayors and, at the same time, revoked Law Number 22 of 2014 that regulated indirect election by the Regional Legislative Assembly (DPRD).
He said as a consequence, and to avoid any legal uncertainty, he also produced Perppu Number 2 of 2014 on regional government that eradicated the DPRDs duty and authority to elect regional heads, as stated in Law Number 23/2014 on regional government.
The President said the signing of the Perppus was a concrete effort by his administration to fight in unity with the people for the preservation of the direct system of regional election.
(Reporting by Panca H. Wibowo/Uu.A059/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
