KPU: Eight Regional Head Candidates Positive For COVID-19

JAKARTA - The General Election Commission (KPU) has provided data developments for regional head candidates who are still positive for COVID-19. Based on the KPU's records, there are still eight prospective candidates who are positive.

KPU commissioner Evi Novida Ginting Manik said that until 12.28 WIB, the data recorded for potential candidates who were positive for COVID-19 came from the provinces of North Sumatra, East Java, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Papua and West Papua.

"A total of 8 prospective candidates are still positive for COVID," he said, in a written statement received by VOI, Saturday, September 26.

Evi said that the eight people were still listed as prospective candidates because they had not done a medical test until they were determined as candidates. This is because it is still tested positive and needs to run health protocols.

The following is a list of potential participants, confirmed positive for COVID-19:

1. North Sumatra, Sibolga City. Regional Head Candidates

2. North Sumatra, Serdang Bedagai. Regional Head Candidates

3. East Java, Malang. Regional Head Candidates

4. North Kalimantan, Nunukan. Candidates for Deputy Regional Head

5. North Sulawesi, Bolaang Mongondow Selatan. Regional Head Candidates

6. North Sulawesi, Bolaang Mongondow. South Candidates for Deputy Regional Head

7. Papua, Yahukimo. Regional Head Candidates.

8. West Papua, South Manokwari. Regional Head Candidates

Previously, the General Election Commission Commissioner (KPU) I Dewa Kade Wiarsa Raka Sandi said that a regional head candidate (cakada) who was positive for COVID-19 while undergoing the election stages had the potential to reduce the campaign period.

The KPU has data on as many as 34 prospective candidates for the 2020 Regional Head Election that tested positive for COVID-19 when registering their candidacy at the KPU. As long as they have not recovered, prospective candidates cannot undergo the next stages, namely medical examinations, determination as a candidate pair, until the campaign period.

If the campaign period has started on September 26, but has not undergone a medical examination, the candidate cannot campaign yet.

"If this pair, at the time of the campaign period arrives, they cannot carry out a medical examination, so the KPU cannot determine the candidate pair, then their campaign schedule can also be postponed," Dewa said in a webinar discussion, Wednesday, September 9.

Dewa explained that all prospective pairs of candidates ideally could participate in all stages together, so that there were aspects of equality of treatment and justice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic situation will result in a schedule that the prospective pairs of candidates cannot follow together.