Voters Of COVID-19 Positive Pilkada Picked Up To Cast Criticized, Bawaslu: To Protect Voting Rights

JAKARTA - The General Election Commission (KPU) allows 2020 Pilkada voters who are undergoing treatment or independent isolation due to being positive for COVID-19 to vote.

Later, the polling committee (KPPS) will visit the hospital or the house of residents who are doing independent isolation. However, this has received criticism from many parties on social media.

Regarding the criticism, Head of the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), Abhan, explained that this policy was solely for the protection of the voting rights of every citizen who qualifies as voters.

"Regarding this positivity, they have not lost their voting rights. The KPU must continue to serve. If we have to come to the hospital or isolation house, that is also part of our supervision," Abhan said at the Bawaslu building, Friday, December 4.

Abhan understands that there is a greater concern about the transmission of COVID-19 when KPPS comes to the homes of voters who are positive for COVID-19.

However, according to him, the KPU has designed such a protocol to prevent transmission such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) hazmat suits.

"Those are the SOPs designed by the KPU in order to prevent the 2020 Pilkada from creating new clusters," said Abhan.

As is known, for patients who are hospitalized or isolated in health facilities, the district / city KPU, assisted by PPK and PPS, initially collected voter data a day before polling day.

Then, the head of the local KPPS assigns two KPPS members who can be accompanied by a sub-district / village election supervisor or a TPS supervisor and witnesses carrying voting equipment to the hospital.

Services for the use of suffrage for patients are carried out from 12.00 local time to completion. KPPS members who help patients exercise their voting rights are required to keep the voters' choices secret.

Meanwhile, related to voters who are positive for COVID-19 and carry out independent isolation, their voting rights are by visiting these voters with the approval of witnesses and election supervisors.

This has received criticism from netizens, one of which is an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Pandu Riono via the Twitter account @ drpriono1.

People who are being treated at the hospital DO NOT be forced to vote. Voting is voluntary, and when healthy and conscious. If implemented, it can endanger the lives of sick people and officers. Use common sense.

- The Plague (@ drpriono1) December 3, 2020

"People who are being treated at the hospital should not be forced to vote. Voting is voluntary, and if they are healthy and conscious. If implemented it can endanger the lives of sick people and officers. Use common sense," tweeted Pandu.