Positive COVID-19, 3 Candidates For Regional Heads Died In The Middle Of The Pilkada Stages

JAKARTA - RI General Election Commission (KPU) commissioner Evi Novida Ginting Manik said that currently there are three regional head candidates who died in the middle of the 2020 Pilkada stages.

First, the pilkada participant who died was the candidate for the Regent of Berau, Muharram, who died on September 22, 2020 when he was infected with COVID-19.

"The late Muharram died prior to the appointment of the 2020 regional head of the simultaneous regional elections," Evi told reporters, Sunday, October 4.

Second, Bontang Mayor Candidate in the 2020 Pilkada, Adi Darma. He died after several days of being treated as a positive patient for COVID-19 at the Taman Husada Hospital, Bontang.

Adi Darma was known to have suffered from illness on September 23, 2020, so he could not attend the Pilkada stage of taking the serial number at the Bontang City KPU.

"The late Adi Darma died on October 1," said Evi.

The third is the Regent of Central Bangka, Bangka Belitung Islands Province, Ibnu Saleh, who died on Sunday at around 03:17 WIB at RSBT City of Pangkalpinang. He was declared suffering from COVID-19.

"The late Ibnu Soleh died on October 4, 2020," said Evi.

Ibnu Saleh is an incumbent regent candidate who returned to the elections in 2020, experienced illness on September 27 2020 and after a swab test, the deceased tested positive for COVID-19.

With that said, the three prospective candidates or regional head candidates who died in the middle of the 2020 Pilkada are still positive for COVID-19.

In KPU Regulation Number 15 of 2017, the KPU allows political parties or coalitions of political parties or individual candidates to replace regional head candidates with several things, one of which is death.

In Article 78, replacement can be made if a prospective candidate or candidate is declared not meeting health requirements, is permanently incapacitated (dies or is unable to carry out his duties permanently), and if he is convicted on the basis of an incarcerated decision.