Direct Elections Cause more Losses Than Gains: MInister

Jakarta (Antara) - Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said elections for leaders of regional administrations have caused more losses than gains. The government, therefore, favors elections of governors and district leaders by regional or district legislative assemblies (DPRD), to improve democratic political system in the regions, Fauzi said here on Friday. "Our conclusion, based on our studies, is as we have proposed that regional leaders should be elected by DPRD," he said. There have been 1,013 direct elections in the regions since 2005 marked with many riots with candidates and their supporters refusing to accept defeats, he pointed out. The rioting caused great losses with defeated parties going on the rampage setting fires on assets of the local people. "Some people were even killed in such conflicts," he said. The cost is too high and the system gave rise to rampant corruption involving leaders of regional administration, which had spent big money to win elections. Election winners through "money politics" would tend to commit corruption to recover the money they spent in pre elections campaigns. The home affairs ministry said at least 75 people had been killed in election related incidents and conflicts in the regions, and 86 percent of 310 leaders of provincial and district district administrations have been involved and mired in corruption cases. (*)