Indonesia eyes eliminating deputy regional heads amid widespread conflict

Indonesia's national legislature is considering a radical proposal to abolish the position of deputy regional heads, a move fueled by widespread discord between elected leaders and their deputies. The debate centers on whether the current system, which often leads to public disputes and inefficiency, should be replaced.

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Let's just elect regional heads without deputies. Deputy regional heads can simply be appointed by the regional head. This is so they don't just become vote getters, pity the current deputy regional heads.

Lawmakers in Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) are exploring alternatives, including appointing deputies directly chosen by the elected regional head. Another suggestion is to allow for multiple deputy heads, appointed based on specific tasks or the needs of the region. This aims to streamline governance and prevent deputies from becoming mere "vote getters" without substantial roles.

Muhammad Khozin, a DPR member from the National Awakening Party (PKB), stated that his data indicates "almost 60 percent of the data we have in the regions shows disharmony between the regional head and the deputy regional head." This persistent friction, he argued, undermines effective administration.

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Almost 60 percent of the data we have in the regions shows disharmony between the regional head and the deputy regional head.

CNNIndonesia.com has documented several high-profile cases illustrating these conflicts. In Sidoarjo, the relationship between Regent Subandi and his deputy, Mimik Idayana, deteriorated significantly after Subandi initiated a large-scale civil servant mutation without consulting Idayana. This led to Idayana filing a formal complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

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Frankly, all this time I have not been invited by the mayor and involved regarding programs in Bandung City. This has actually been happening since we were inaugurated.

Similarly, in Bandung, Deputy Mayor Erwin expressed frustration over being excluded from key government decisions and strategic programs by Mayor Muhammad Farhan. While Farhan denied this, he acknowledged that deputy heads often have limited duties as prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, with their roles contingent on tasks delegated by the head of the region.

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Based on the Ministry of Home Affairs regulations, the duties of a deputy regional head are assigned by the regional head. So far, the tasks given are indeed not as many as before, because some are already running on their own.