Former Commissioner Asks KPU To Ban Campaigns With Potential Crowds

JAKARTA - The former Commissioner of the General Election Commission, Hadar Nafis Gumay, asked the KPU to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 in the 2020 Pilkada stages firmly.

Instead of asking the candidate pairs for regional heads not to cause crowds anymore, according to Hadar, the KPU would better eliminate campaign activities that gather mass.

"The approach that must be used is to prevent crowd creation and implement strict health protocols. Eliminate various election processes that meet face to face and have the potential to create crowds," said Hadar, Tuesday, September 15.

In KPU Regulation Number 6 of 2020 which regulates the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada during the COVID-19 pandemic, campaign activities that have the potential to crowd include limited meetings, face-to-face meetings and public dialogue and debate.

Apart from that, there are other activities that candidate pairs can still do to campaign, including general meetings, performing arts, harvesting, music concerts, hiking, relaxing bicycles, competitions, bazaars, blood donations, and political party birthdays.

Then, if the candidate pair violates, Hadar asks the KPU to give strict sanctions. For example, a campaign ban to disqualification from a candidate.

If constrained by rules for taking action, Hadar said the KPU could make new rules or encourage the government to issue regulations in lieu of laws (perpu).

"The imposition of these sanctions is important. However, the legal basis needs to be solid. Sanctions and instructions for the cancellation of candidate pairs require amendments to the law or Perpu. Because PKPU as a basis is not sufficient," said the observer of the election.

As is known, KPU RI Commissioner I Dewa Kade Wiarsa Raka Sandi admitted that he could not make rules for the 2020 Pilkada stages that explicitly prevented potential transmission of COVID-19.

This is because the KPU is officially still using the legal basis of Law Number 10 of 2016 which regulates the implementation of regional elections.

Although there are additional regulations, namely Law Number 6 of 2020, this regulation only adds to the provision of regional elections and the implementation of health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"We actually hope that we can make many changes in a more progressive manner. But one thing becomes an obstacle, because the Pilkada Law is Law 10/2016 as a positive law, it still applies," said Dewa.