BANDUNG, unpas.ac.id – Constitution Law No. 7/2017 and No. 10/2016 have mandated that in 2024, there would be simultaneous elections, namely presidential election, legislative election and regional head election.
The implementation period has caused number of regional heads whose length of service expire in 2022 and 2023 to be replace by the Acting of Regional heads. In West Java, there are 20 regions which be occupied by the Acting of West Java is known to the public as having a large-voter population base. There are many of them expect that the uses of the Acting themselves will give some benefits for certain parties.
Considering the facts that candidates-to-fill in the position have widely become a hot topic which characterizes democracy in the country, Faculty of Social and Political Science (FISIP) Universitas Pasundan raised the issue in a seminar entitled ““Legitimasi dan Implikasi Penetapan 20 Pj Kepala Daerah di Jawa Barat” held in hybrid, on Friday, 11 February 2022.
This event presented Kasubdit II FKDH Directorate General of Regional Autonomy for Ministry of Domestic Affairs, Acting of West Java Governor Yana Mulyana, Head of West Java Kesbangpol Iip Hidayat, Unpas Professor for Public Administration Prof. Dr. Benyamin Harits, MS., Expert of Public Policy and Direcor of IPRC Research Leo Agustiona, as well as Head of KASN and Central IAPA Agus Pramusinto.
Unpas Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Eddy Jusuf Sp., M.Si., M.Kom., IPU stated that the matters regarding the Acting of Regional Heads are strategic issues before the election begins in 2024.
“I appreciate the Unpas FISIP’s idea in providing education to the community regarding the regulation and appointment of the Acting of Regional Head office. I wish the community could send their aspiration through DPRD, since during this period, regional head office has been only dropped in by the centre office,” he said.
It should be noted that the acting governor will later be proposed by the Ministry of Domestic Affairs, then elected by the president. Meanwhile, the Acting of Regents and Mayors are proposed by the governor and elected by the Ministry of Domestic Affairs.
In this case, the Acting Manager has a different terminology from the temporary acting (Pjs), task executor (Plt), and daily executor (Plh). The Actings have full authority as like as an elected regional head.
Despite having full authority, the appointment of an Acting Head to fill the position of regional head is certainly vulnerable to political elements. Not to mention, because they are not directly elected by the people, the legitimacy of the Pj, especially in taking strategic policies, will be questioned.
Chairman of Commission I of the West Java DPRD, Bedi Budiman, who was also present, said that the discussion regarding the Acting Regional Head is a public matter because in West Java there are 19 regencies/cities and one governor who will be appointed as Acting Head.
“This decision will definitely affect public services and the constellation of DPRD. For that, I am waiting for the direction from the Ministry of Domestic Affairs, especially since the time span of the Acting to the regional elections is quite long,” he said.
According to him, the difference between the appointment of the Acting Officer for this time and several previous times is the situation. As the election enters, the authority of the acting of regional head must also be re-confirmed, whether it is the same as the definitive regional head or not.
“The desire to appoint many officials makes the public guessed that there is a certain political agenda. If prejudice is widespread, people can question the legitimacy of the 2024 election results,” he concluded. (Reta)*
