Position, Duties, and Authorities of the Deputy Regional Head in the Era of Reform

Abstract

Article 18, paragraph 4 of the 1945 Constitution defined regional heads as "governors, regents, and mayors respectively as heads of democratically elected provincial, district, and municipal governments. However, many believe that direct elections are the only way to be democratically elected. Therefore, at the time of the direct election of regional heads and deputy regional heads, it was felt that this was indeed more democratic than the elections previously conducted by the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD). Still, the regional head election system with one system of one package of regional heads and deputy regional heads still raises many problems, including those related to the responsibility implementation. The location of the study is the city Government of Palembang, South Sumatera Province. This research uses normative legal analysis supported by empirical data that examines the laws and regulations that apply to a spesific legal problem, especially those related to the delegation of authority of regional heads and their representatives in government administration. In the era of regional autonomy, the Deputy Mayor of Palembang power's in government functions plays a smaller role in the provincial government. The deputy regional head's authority and duties are not specified in the Law. It is also believed that deputy regional head/deputy mayor serves only as a stand-in for regional head, which the Law support. The responsibilities of the deputy mayor of Palembang related to government duties that cannot be full carried out in the city of Palembang cannot be legally sanctioned, either criminally, civilly, or administratively, because the authority given as stated in the relevant regulations do not provide detailed rules.