SBY Causes Political Row Over Pilkada Issue: Desmond

Jakarta (Antara) - A lawmaker from the Gerindra party faction Desmond J Mahesa accused former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) of being behind the political row over Pilkada, a system of election for regional leaders. "The cause is SBY. SBY signed approval for Pilkada Law and at the same day a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) was issued. This is the source of the present confusion . In any country anything that has become law , is finished," Desmond said here on Thursday. In a plenary session earlier, the 2009-2014 House of Representatives passed the Law on Pilkada under which regional leaders such as governors, district heads and majors would be elected by regional legislative assemblies. The House of Representatives was divided into two coalitions with one, the Red and White Coalition favoring the Pilkada law and the other the Great Indonesia Coalition which supports the present government, is in favor of the previous system of direct election by the people. The Democrat Party of SBY, however, decided not to join either one of the opposing coalitions. In a plenary session of the House of Representatives debating the draft law on Pilkada, the then ruling Democratic Party of SBY walked out that gave victory to the Red and White coalition to pass the bill into law . President SBY, however, decided to issue the Perppu that calls for cancellation of the Law . (*)