Gov’t to Implement Strict Health Protocols during Regional Elections

The 2020 simultaneous regional elections are expected to be held on 9 December. (Source: KPU)

Ahead of the 2020 simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada), the Covid-19 Task Force asked the regional governments to tighten political activities involving the masses in their respective regions.

According to Ministry of Health, in the risk zone map, there are 309 regencies/cities holding regional elections. Among them, 45 regions/cities or 14.56%, are in the red zones, covering 14 provinces that run the elections.

“In doing so, we need to pay attention to the development of the Covid-19 cases and the handling in all regions participating in this election,” Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Task Force Wiku Adisasmito said at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Thursday (10/9).

The 14 provinces are among others: North Sumatra (5), West Sumatra (4), Riau (4), Riau Islands (2), Banten (1), West Java (1), Central Java (1), East Java ( 3), Bali (6), South Sulawesi (1), North Sulawesi (1), South Kalimantan (6), Central Kalimantan (4) and East Kalimantan (5).

There are 152 regencies/cities or 49.19% in the orange zones and 72 regencies/cities or 23.30% in the yellow zones. Meanwhile, the green zones include the 26 regencies/cities or 8.41% with no new cases and 14 regencies/cities or 4.53% of unaffected regions.

During the elections, Wiku emphasized that the contestants must strictly implement the health protocol to ensure safe elections.

“First, prospective partners must undergo a PCR test and are prohibited from making physical contact during the selection process,” Wiku stated.

Second, he added, the allowed method of campaigns among others, the holding of a campaign with a maximum of 50 attendances. The attendant must maintain a distance of at least a meter.

It is also advisable to use online media. Public debates or open debates can be held in broadcasting studios, with a maximum of 50 people attending. The attendant must also maintain a distance of a meter.

The campaign activities should be permitted by applicable laws and implement strict health protocols such as the use of personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, face shields, hand sanitizers, etc.) as well as be coordinated with the regional task force.

“We ask that all the administering apparatus, the General Elections Commission (KPU), the regional KPU, the regional Bawaslu (the Election Supervisory Agency), the local governments through the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) can really enforce the health protocols implementation to prevent any catastrophe related to Covid-19,” he said.

At the central level, he said, during the simultaneous regional elections, Ministry of Home Affairs has coordinated with the Indonesian National Defense Forces and the Indonesian National Police for protocol enforcement. Meanwhile, the KPU will prepare and lead the holding of the elections paying attention to the enforcement of health protocols.

Bawaslu, he said, will formulate a standard on supervision of the holding of the elections that includes health protocol regulations. The regional governments must create conducive conditions during the holding of the elections.

He also urged all parties including the public to obey and carry out the elections in orderly manners. (Communication Team of the COVID-19 Task Force and PEN/EN)

Translated by: Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Reviewed by: Yuyu Mulyani