bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Outgoing Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has enacted an emergency decree to suspend a controversial law that scrapped direct elections for mayors, district heads and governors.
Yudhoyono said he suspended the law approved by parliament just days earlier "to save the people's sovereignty" and democracy.
"Direct elections are the results of our struggle for reforms and I myself was directly elected by the people in 2004 and 2009," he said.
Under the decree, the law is suspended automatically, but the decree can be invalidated by a vote of the parliament.
Last Friday, the lower house voted to scrap regional direct elections, instead enabling local legislative councils to elect regional leaders.
Most members of Yudhoyono's Democratic Party had refused to vote since their proposal for direct elections with some conditions was not accepted.
Yudhoyono, who was in Washington when the law was adopted, later said the party decision was taken without his knowledge as chairman.
The law was passed with support from backers of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, who outvoted the camp of president-elect Joko Widodo,
Widodo himself was a directly elected mayor and governor prior to winning the presidency.
Direct regional elections were introduced in 2005 as a part of the country's reform movement, ending a system of elitist democracy controlled by a handful of corrupt politicians.
The controversial law has been the first test faced by Widodo's future government.
Hopes that he can form a strong, effective government were also thrown into doubt after the lower house elected a speaker and deputy speakers from parties opposing him.


Yudhoyono decree suspends scrapping of local elections in Indonesia

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (center) and his wife Kristiani (right) and Vice President Budiono (left) pose for photographers after the inauguration of new members of parliament  in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: AP

New parliament members attending the inauguration of Parliament members in Jakarta. Photo: AFP

News

Asia

Outgoing Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has enacted an emergency decree to suspend a controversial law that scrapped direct elections for mayors, district heads and governors.
