Regional Election In The Middle Of The COVID-19 Pandemic Tightening, Mahfud MD: Considering Mobile TPS

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) said there was a possibility that the election organizers would prepare mobile polling stations (TPS). This was done as an effort to tighten the implementation of the 2020 Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) which were held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This mobile TPS, he said, would be prioritized to reach voters who were vulnerable groups so that they did not have to go to a predetermined TPS location.

"There will also be consideration of tighter and more careful voting arrangements for vulnerable groups. Maybe later there will also be mobile polling stations," Mahfud said when opening the 2020 Simultaneous Regional Election Preparation Coordination Meeting which was broadcast on YouTube, Tuesday, September 22.

In addition, in an effort to tighten health protocols, the National Police will be supported by the TNI and the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol) and local governments to enforce discipline and law in accordance with the announcement of the Chief of Police No. 3 of 2020 which has just been issued.

"There is also an order to enforce criminal law if forced to do so. The basic criminal law is a lot of laws, KUHP, Criminal Quarantine Law, etc. There has been a lot of mention with the note that criminal law enforcement is an ultimatum remidium of the last action if a persuasive step. can no longer be done, "he said.

The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court also confirmed that there was an amendment to PKPU Number 10 of 2020 which would consider the implementation of processions, crowds, or general meetings that exceed a certain number. "There will also be a revision of PKPU Number 4 of 2017 or perhaps reprocessing it to distribute the contents which need to be adjusted at this time," he said.

"It is hoped that more campaigns can be carried out online and then discipline using masks, hand sanitizers, maintaining distance and so on. That is the responsibility of all of us, the responsibility of the contestants, the responsibility of the party who leads the party," he added.

Regarding the revision of PKPU Number 10 of 2010 concerning Pilkada which is the final decision of the meeting between Commission II of the Indonesian Parliament, the Minister of Home Affairs, and the General Election Commission (KPU) which was held on Monday, September 21 yesterday, Mahfud hopes this can be resolved soon. He even asked that this revision be completed before 26 September.

"Changes to PKPU Number 10 of 2020 will be completed of course in a fast time. It is hoped that before the 26th because at that time there is already a Pilkada campaign," he said.

Previously, after President Jokowi confirmed that the Pilkada would continue, DPR Commission II, Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian, and the General Elections Commission (KPU) agreed that the Pilkada would not be postponed and would continue amid the pandemic. This decision was taken after they held a meeting.

"Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives together with the Minister of Home Affairs, Chairperson of the Indonesian KPU, Chairman of Bawaslu RI and Chairman of the DKPP RI agree that the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada Simultaneously will be held on December 9, 2020 by enforcing discipline and legal sanctions for violations of the COVID-19 health protocol," said the Chairman of Commission II of the DPR. Ahmad Doli Kurnia read out the conclusion of the meeting.

To anticipate the spread of COVID-19 due to health protocol violations, Commission II of the DPR then asked the KPU to revise KPU Regulation Number 10 of 2020.