Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Deputy Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Oesman Sapta Odang expects the implementation of the simultaneous regional elections to improve the quality of democracy in various regions in the country.
"We hope that simultaneous regional elections can improve the quality of democracy in Indonesia," Oesman Sapta Odang said in a press statement received here on Monday.
He pointed out that according to Article 18, Paragraph 4 of the Constitution, the regional heads should be elected democratically as part of efforts to reinforce and strengthen the sovereignty of the people.
"The implementation of simultaneous regional elections still needs improvement. Therefore, I urge all stakeholders to give inputs to the MPR," he stressed.
He further remarked that the elections should also strengthen Indonesia's spirit of `Unity in Diversity.'
"The elections should uphold democracy in accordance with the values of the state ideology -- Pancasila," he said.
Earlier, the Indonesian Police had said it will deploy 135,672 officers to secure the implementation of the simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada), which will be held on December 9.
The police personnel will be drawn from a total of 31 provincial police offices across the country, the National Police Headquarters' Operation Assistant, Inspector General Unggung Cahyono stated on Thursday.
The National Police had organized a mock security drill to prepare for the local elections by involving all the country's provincial police officers, except for Aceh Province.
Cahyono remarked that National Police Chief, General Badrodin Haiti had instructed every police office at the provincial, district, and city levels, along with the Police's Mobile Brigade to be prepared for securing the regional head elections.
The National Police Headquarters will also enlist another 3.5 thousand personnel as reserves to be deployed in case of any potential conflict.
The police have also drawn a map of the potential conflict-prone regions in conjunction with the local elections.
Every five polling stations will be guarded by two police officers and 10 civilian security guards.
In regions considered prone to conflict, two police officers along with four civilian security personnel will be deployed in every two polling stations.
In the high-risk regions, two police officers, along with two civilian security guards will be posted at every polling station.
The National Police had also organized a roll call for three days, from August 11 to 14, with regards to the preparations for implementing security measures during Pilkada.
The first phase of Pilkada will be organized in 269 regions, including nine provinces, 224 districts, and 36 cities, on December 9.
Until August 3, the General Elections Commission, which is the executor of the elections, had registered 838 pairs of candidates contesting for regional head elections.
Of the total tickets, 21 are for were candidates contesting elections for the posts of governors and deputies, 115 are for mayors and deputies, and 702 are for district heads and deputies. (WDY)
