Indonesia president suggests scrapping regional elections to cut costs

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has suggested scrapping one of the country's two nationwide elections to cut costs, advocating a return to a model similar to that used during its three-decade era of authoritarian rule.

Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy, currently votes for presidents and national and regional legislatures in one election and chooses mayors, governors and regents in another.

Prabowo late on Thursday (December 12) suggested doing away with the second election and having regional legislatures choose mayors and governors instead, which he said would free up funds to spend on upgrades and meals for schools.

"We feel the democracy that we have ... there are things that we need to fix together," he said in a speech at the congress of the Golkar Party.

"We have to ask ourselves, is the system," he said, referring to elections. "How many trillions spent in one or two days?"

Prabowo's suggestion of having legislators choose local leaders is reminiscent of the "New Order" era of late strongman ruler Suharto, his former father-in-law, under whom he served as special forces commander. He was later dismissed from the military amid allegations of human rights abuses, which he has consistently denied.

Prabowo swept February's election with 58% of the votes in what was his third attempt at the presidency and quickly consolidated power by forming a parliamentary coalition that includes all but one political party.

Some political activists and academics have expressed concern about the extent of Prabowo's power and how he will use it given his past under Suharto's 32-year autocracy and previous critical statements about democracy.

Prabowo's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on whether he will formally propose ending regional elections. Such a move would mean an overhaul of election laws.

Political analyst Yoes C. Kenawas said regional elections were still the best way for people to ensure local leaders were accountable.

"Prabowo's idea does not make sense. It cuts corners," he said, likening it to the New Order era. "This could be a setback to Indonesia's democracy."

($1 = 15,920.0000 rupiah)