Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The House of Representatives (DPR) passed regional head elections and regional government bills into laws at a plenary meeting here on Tuesday.

Deputy House Speaker Fadli Zon who led the meeting banged the gavel marking the passage of the two bills into laws after lawmakers who were present approved the bills.

"Do you agree that the regional head election and regional government bills are passed into laws?" he asked.

"Agree," the lawmakers said.

Earlier, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo who spoke on behalf of the government said he warmly welcomed the passage of the two bills into laws.

According to Tjahjo, the new laws would allow the General Elections Commission (KPU) to hold simultaneously regional head elections between December 2015 and 2019 in several batches.

"All the mandates in this law are not amended anymore," he said.

On the occasion, he also praised the DPR for its hard work so that the bills could be passed into laws as soon as possible.

He also asked all political parties to prepare their cadres to run for governors, district heads and mayors.

"We hope that political parties and groups of political parties would commit themselves to nominate their respective candidates as early as possible so that they could be known in their respective electoral territories," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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