Candidates Announced as COVID-19 Risks Rise

KOMPAS/KRISTIAN OKA PRASETYADI

Candidate for governor of North Sulawesi, Vonnie Anneke Panambunan, signed a statement supporting a peaceful and healthy 2020 Pilkada in Manado, Tuesday (22/9/2020).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – After the government, the House of Representatives and election organizers decided not to postpone the 2020 regional elections (Pilkada), the Regional General Election Commission is scheduled to announce the candidates and their running mates on Wednesday for the upcoming regional elections. This will take place at a time when the risks of coronavirus transmission have increased given the growing number of COVID-19 cases.

The latest Election Vulnerability Index (IKP) of the 2020 regional election released by the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) on Tuesday (22/9) shows a significant increase in the number of regions categorized as high risk. In the June 2020 vulnerability index data, 27 regencies/cities were categorized as high risk. However, after the update in September, 50 regencies/regencies were categorized as high risk.

Also read: Uphold Regional Election Protocols

A number of indicators were utilized to the update the IKP data, including the number of election organizers infected with COVID-19 and/or who have died from COVID-19. In addition, there has also been a surge in patients and victims who have died from COVID-19, as well as opposition to the 2020 pilkada from residents and community leaders.

"The election vulnerability index in the context of a pandemic has increased ahead of the campaign period. Bawaslu has made some recommendations, such as suggesting that the drawing of the candidates’ numbers should be held online,” said Bawaslu member, M Afifuddin.

Candidate announcement

The 2020 regional elections, which will take place in 270 regions, are scheduled for Dec. 9. The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and religious mass organizations, such as Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, as well as civil society groups, have pushed for the postponement of regional elections because of the high rate of COVID-19 transmission.

According to data from the COVID-19 task force, an additional 4,071 positive cases of COVID-19 were recorded on Tuesday.

The election vulnerability index in the context of a pandemic has increased ahead of the campaign period.

Also read: Strict Action and Sanctions Imperative

KOMPAS/WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO

The Purbalingga Maju Coalition Declaration of Change in support of Purbalingga regent candidate M Sulhan Fauzi and Purbalingga vice regent candidate Zaini Makarim Supriyatno in Rembang, Purbalingga, Central Java after registration at KPU Purbalingga, Central Java, Sunday (6/9/2020). The crowd was inevitable

The day after the official announcement of the candidates and their running mates on Sept. 23 the candidates’ numbers will be drawn. After that, the campaign period will run from Sept. 26 to Dec. 5.

In Surabaya, East Java, a candidate for mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, promised not to gather a crowd of supporters for the drawing of the candidates’ number. As for another candidate for mayor of Surabaya, Machfud Arifin, he said his side would hold a mass gathering to express gratitude for the official announcement of the candidates and the drawing of the candidate’s number. The supporters will be gathered at a specific location and will observe health protocols.

Also read: Regional Elections, Pandemic and Threats of Recession

In Manado, North Sulawesi, the candidate for governor of North Sulawesi, Olly Dondokambey, said that his side had appealed to political parties nominating him to win the election by implementing health protocols. As for another governor candidate, Vonnie Anneke Panambunan, she said efforts to maintain public health were the main focus of the regional elections.

Meanwhile, prospective voters expect all regional head candidates to obey health protocols. Jerson Ghite, 45, a resident of Aru Islands regency, Maluku, for example, demanded that campaign teams and the candidate pairs that wanted to campaign in the kampongs take a COVID-19 test first.

Civil society criticism

Yesterday, a joint civil society group criticized the stance of the government, the House and election organizers after they decided to go ahead with the 2020 regional elections. The founder of the Network for Democracy and Electoral Integration, Hadar Nafis Gumay, said the fact there were crowds present during the candidate registration on Sept. 4-6 should be taken as a lesson. The crowds were uncontrolled and did not comply with health protocols.

According to him, the decision to continue the regional elections in the midst of a pandemic will create a big problem, particularly when there are no comprehensive rules in the existing election law.

The crowds were uncontrolled and did not comply with health protocols

KOMPAS/INGKI RINALDI

Founder of Network for Democracy and Electoral Integrity Hadar Nafis Gumay, Friday (11/10/2019)

Meanwhile, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD asked leaders of political parties to tell their cadres in the regions about the prohibition on mass gathering. The announcement of the candidates will only be made through the KPU website. Posters will also be placed at the regional KPU offices. In addition, for the drawing of candidate numbers, the KPU only invited the candidate pairs and the head of the campaign team.

To ensure the implementation of health protocols, according to Mahfud, the KPU will revise KPU Regulation No. 10/2020. The revision aims to prohibit mass parades, mass gatherings and limit gatherings that exceed the designated number. Campaigns are conducted online. Regarding any violations of health protocols, they will be processed based on the authority of the police.

Also read: Calls to Postpone Regional Elections Grow

Yesterday, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto sent letters instructing all PDI-P regional chapters that will have regional elections, as well as PDI-P regional head candidates to comply with all COVID-19 prevention protocols in all election stages. The letter also states that party members and cadres who violate health protocols would be punished.

Meanwhile, the secretary of the Democratic Party\'s Election Body, Kamhar Lakumani, said that a warning could be given to cadres who did not comply with the health protocols or committed actions that triggered the transmission of COVID-19 during the regional elections. (BOW/REK/DEA/NTA/FRN/REN/ FLO/COK/EDN/MEL/XTI/WER/ SYA/OKA/RAM/DKA/CIP)