Health Protocols Must Be Implemented during Regional Elections: President Jokowi

By Office of Assistant to Deputy Cabinet Secretary for State Documents & Translation     Date 5 Agustus 2020
Category: News
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The 2020 simultaneous regional elections. Photo by: the General Elections Commission (KPU)

The implementation of health protocols is important to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the upcoming simultaneous regional elections (Pilkada), according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

The President delivered the statement on Wednesday (5/8) at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, during a Limited Cabinet Meeting on preparation for the 2020 simultaneous regional elections.

On that occasion, the President delivered following directives:

First, the election, to be held in the midst of pandemic, should be democratic, direct, open, free, confidential, honest, and fair, but most importantly, it should be safe from COVID-19.

“There are two main factors in the 2020 regional election. The quality of the election must be improved and it must be safe from COVID-19 thus, we must pay attention to health aspects and safety of the organizers, participants and the voters,” the President said.

The implementation of health protocols, according to the President, must become a new habit at every stage of the election to prevent new clusters or new waves of COVID-19.

Second, the President said that several countries had also held elections during this pandemic, both at local and national levels, including Singapore, Germany, France and South Korea. The President added that the most important factor is convincing voters that the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Government are committed to health and safety during COVID-19 pandemic.

“The implementation of strict health protocols will provide sense of security and we hope that the voter participation rate will remain high,” the President said.

Third, the President said that it is also a moment, both for the organizers and participants, to organize the elections in new ways and create innovations in democratic process during the pandemic.

Fourth, the President has received a report from Minister of Home Affairs that the budget for the election is ready. “Later, I will ask for a report on security risk mitigation in the 2020 regional elections which involve approximately 270 regional elections to elect Governors, Regents and Mayors,” the President said. (TGH/EN)

 

 

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana

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