Waiting For Jokowi To Issue Perppu Pilkada That Makes Health Protocol Violators Deterrent

JAKARTA - The push for President Joko Widodo to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (perppu), regarding strict rules for implementing health protocols when carrying out the regional elections during the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to emerge.

One of the encouragement came from Perludem Advisory Board Member, Titi Anggraini. This election observer said the perppu was the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

"If the government really wants the regional elections to take place and does not want to be postponed, then the logical choice is to revise the Pilkada Law by (issuing) a perppu," said Titi when confirmed by VOI, Friday, September 18.

The need for a perppu that contains rules and strict sanctions for violating health protocols departs from the case of the registration period for prospective pairs of candidates (bapaslon). A total of 243 chaplones registered themselves to the KPU office in a procession and allowed a crowd.

Unfortunately, the KPU has not yet made any rules regarding sanctions against violators of health protocols. Thus, the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) is also limited to reprimanding Bapaslon who violates the protocol.

Bawaslu did forward 243 violations of health protocols to the police to see the elements of a criminal act. However, according to Titi, so far not one violator has been prosecuted.

"There is nothing, violators of the COVID-19 protocol will be prosecuted. No chaplain has received the sanctions that most people get for violating protocols such as cleaning the streets," said Titi.

Therefore, Titi asked Jokowi to issue a perppu that clearly regulates the prohibition and application of administrative sanctions for pilkada participants who violate the COVID-19 protocol.

"The room for administrative sanctions, such as prohibition against campaigning and disqualification of candidates is not regulated in the KPU regulations. That space must exist at the level of legislation such as the Perppu," he explained.

Apart from Titi, KPU commissioner Viryan Azis admitted that he also encouraged Jokowi to issue a perppu. Because, he said, the KPU could not prevent the crowds that occurred during the registration of the chaplain because of the rigid Pilkada Law.

"There needs to be an adaptation in the Election Law which guarantees the implementation of the stages of the selection of the COVID-19 health protocol discipline," Viryan said in his note quoted by VOI.

"The adaptation can only be done in the form of a new pilkada perppu. The need for a new perppu is important. If this effort is taken by the government, it (the issuance of the perppu) will not come out in a long time," he continued.

Learning from previous experiences, Viryan thinks that the Perppu should not only focus on the campaign aspect.

"It is also necessary to check and ensure all stages that are and will be running as a integrated process that is disciplined with health protocols," he concluded.