Government Considers Deceasing Disqualification Rules For Cakada Violators Of The COVID-19 Protocol

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian said the government was discussing the possibility of making a disqualification rule for regional head candidates (cakada) who violated health protocols in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was conveyed by Minister of Home Affairs Tito after a coordination meeting with the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD and a number of parties including Pilkada organizers, namely the KPU and Bawaslu.

"Apart from reprimands, we have also conveyed the possibility of discussing the existence of a disqualification rule. It could happen for example by creating PKPU or other necessary things," said Tito in a press conference held at the Kemenko Polhukam office, Wednesday, September 9.

While waiting for the certainty of the disqualification rules, the Minister of Home Affairs ensured that PKPU socialization regarding health protocols in the midst of the pandemic continued. Socialization, according to Tito, must continue to be carried out massively both through the media and directly to the participants, political parties and the public.

Meanwhile, regarding health protocol violators at last week's candidate registration, Tito admitted that he had reprimanded 56 incumbent regional head candidates. A warning was given to the incumbent candidate for mass gathering during the process of registering candidates to the regions on September 4-6.

This reprimand, said Tito, is a form of light reprimand. However, it does not rule out that violators of the health protocol can also be subject to sanctions in the form of dismissal although this will have to be approved by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"Meanwhile, outside the incumbent, because it is not an ASN, it is the domain of the Head of Bawaslu and his staff to do a warning," he said.

As for the sanctions for non-incumbent regional head candidates, of course it will be in accordance with other laws related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Tito, the existence of such sanctions is an action that can have a deterrent effect. "Do not because the public will sacrifice power," he said.

"So we will monitor as we go along. Obedient contestants and if they remain obedient will be given rewards," he added.

The prize or reward referred to by Tito is in the form of the Mandiri Dukcapil Pavilion which is an innovation product from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The pavilion can print ID cards, birth certificates, death certificates, family cards and other residency documents in minutes.