"Based on an internal survey by the Indonesian Student Association of University of Queensland (PPIA UQ) last Friday involving 150 students from a number of universities in Australia, 85 percent of the respondents expressed disagreement on the decision of the DPR to pass the law," PPIA UQ president Faisal Rizal said in a press statement received here on Sunday.
He said until now political parties were still considered unable to represent peoples aspirations.
"Due to the strong presence of oligarchy in the political parties it is feared with the presence of the law the election of local leaders will be dominated by a small number of party elites," he said.
He said it would be inappropriate to give regional legislative assembly members a mandate to elect local leaders.
"The DPRs decision to restore the election of local leaders by regional legislative assemblies (DPRD) is a treason against the will of the majority of the people because it revokes their constitutional right to participate directly in the election of and determine their leaders," he said.
In view of that PPIA UQ has urged the president-elect to assure and protect the constitutional right of the people to elect directly their local leaders.
"PPIA UQ rejects the return of the New Order regime that multilaterally interpret Pancasila (state ideology) and constitution for their interests," he said.
(Reporting by Benardy Ferdiansyah/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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