Legal Literacy - Almost 170 Regional Heads will be replaced by Acting Regional Heads at the end of 2023. The existence of Acting officials in several regions is to fill the time span towards the Simultaneous Regional Elections which will be held in November 2024.

The reason is that Regional Heads from the Regent, Mayor, to Governor levels who were elected in 2018 will complete their term of office at the end of 2023. The administration of regional government by Acting officials has been regulated in Article 201 paragraph (9) of Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning the Election of Regional Heads which states:

“To fill the vacancies for Governor and Deputy Governor, Regent and Deputy Regent, and Mayor and Deputy Mayor whose terms of office end in 2023 as referred to in paragraph (3) and whose terms of office end in 2023 as referred to in paragraph (5), acting Governors, acting regents, and acting Mayors shall be appointed until the election of Governors and Deputy Governors, Regents and Deputy Regents, and Mayors and Deputy Mayors through national simultaneous elections in 2024.”

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The function of the Acting Regional Head aims to fill the vacancy in the period of 1 (one) until the 2024 simultaneous regional election is held so as to ensure the continuity of development and public services in the region.

Provisions for Acting regional heads in Indonesia are regulated through the Minister of Home Affairs Regulation Number 4 of 2023 concerning Acting Governors, Acting Regents, and Acting Mayors.

The Duties, Authorities, Obligations, and Prohibitions of Acting Regional Heads are the same as the provisions carried out by Definitive Regional Heads. As an Acting Regional Head, of course, they strive to maintain the stability of regional government so that it continues to run well.

However, of course an Acting Regional Head is prohibited from participating in the political contestation which has recently started. Recently, a document of the Integrity Pact circulated with the arrest of the Acting Regent of Sorong through a Hand Catching Operation (OTT) by the KPK.

The integrity pact contains Yan Piet's personal data along with five points of statement. One of the contents of the integrity pact is being ready to seek support and contribute votes in the 2024 Presidential Election with a minimum of 60%+1 for the victory of Ganjar Pranowo as President in Sorong Regency.

The discovery of an integrity pact containing the Acting Regent of Sorong to win Ganjar Pranowo in the 2024 election raises questions about his independence. As can be seen that the Acting Regional Head comes from the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) or certain ASN officials who hold Madya High Leadership Positions (JPT).