The 2020 Regional Elections That Cannot Be Postponed Even Though There Is COVID-19

JAKARTA - The government has declared an emergency period for the corona virus or COVID-19 disaster until May 29. During that time, the public is urged to have meetings with people and implement a social distancing system to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

However, there is a series of major activities that cannot "comply" with the government's warning, namely the preparation for the 2020 Pilkada. The stages of the pilkada held in 270 regions have been running since 2019.

The Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) stated that the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada could not be canceled and postponed despite the spread of the corona outbreak. This is because there is no term postponement of elections mandated by Law Number 10 of 2016.

"The Election Law does not recognize the terminology of postponement in all regions and in all stages. So the terminology in the Election Law is a follow-up election and a follow-up election," said Head of Bawaslu Abhan Misbah at the Bawaslu Building, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, March 18. .

The follow-up election that Abhan referred to refers to article 120. In Article 120 Paragraph (1) of the Election Law, it states that "In the event that part or all of the Electoral area occurs riots, security disturbances, natural disasters, or other disturbances which result in part of the election implementation stages being unable implemented then a further election is carried out. "

Bawaslu member Mochammad Afifuddin mapped two stages of the 2020 Pilkada which are prone to the spread of the corona virus because it involves direct interaction. This stage refers to KPU Regulation Number 16 of 2019.

From March 26 to April 15, election organizers verified the support of individual (non-party) regional head candidates. Then, from April 18 to May 17 there was a voter list matching and research.

Meanwhile, there has been no warning for candidates for regional heads who will carry out campaigns to prospective voters. This is because the new campaign period starts from 11 July to 19 September.

"These two important stages, like it or not, in a standard mechanism require face-to-face and physical encounter, between officers, both supervisors and KPU officers, and voters," said Afif.

"So, what we need is an SOP, a kind of additional rule for the supervisory ranks and we recommend it to the ranks of KPU officers," he added.

Afif added, Bawaslu recommended that the KPU should equip its staff with cleaning tools such as hand sanitizers and masks to anticipate the transmission of the virus originating from the city of Wuhan, China.

Then, regarding the options for further and subsequent elections, the KPU must map which electoral districts cannot carry out the 2020 Pilkada stages as scheduled.

Bawaslu notes, several areas that are included in the red zone of corona transmission in West Java are in Bekasi, Depok, Cirebon, and Purwakarta. In Banten there are Tangerang districts and South Tangerang cities. In Central Java there is Solo. In West Kalimantan there is Pontianak. In North Sulawesi there is Manado. Likewise Bali and Yogyakarta.

The KPU, said Afif, must take into account whether these regions will conduct further or subsequent elections. A follow-up election is a mechanism in which some detention cannot be carried out, then the stage is temporarily suspended, to be continued some time later.

"For example, the stages that will take place in the near future, are about verifying the support of individual and research candidates," said Afif.

Regarding the option of a follow-up election, all stages cannot be continued, especially in vulnerable areas. However, for areas that do not experience disturbances, the stages continue.

"Those are several possible scenarios that we can do. In the context of recommendations for a follow-up or a follow-up election, the road map, we also have to discuss with the KPU, the government and the DPR," said Afif.

The attitude of the KPU

In response to this, KPU Chairman Arief Budiman does not yet have the option to postpone the stages. "All processes are still running according to the stages, programs and schedule of the 2020 Election," said Arief.

Regarding the warning of two agendas for the risk of the transmission of the corona virus which was noted by Bawaslu, the KPU asked officers to protect themselves strictly. Efforts are being made to maintain distance in communicating, avoid direct contact, clean the equipment used, and always use hand sanitizers and masks.

The KPU also instructed the Provincial and Regency / Municipal KPUs to postpone activities that gather large numbers of masses until March 31, 2020, and reschedule from April 1, 2020, such as Bimtek, training and launching of the 2020 Pilkada.

Regarding the continuation of the implementation of KPU's internal activities in the 2020 Pilkada, namely the recruitment of PPS, which was held from March to April, the KPU made technical modifications.

Currently, the ongoing PPS recruitment stage is the announcement of the selected PPS and will be followed by the inauguration of the PPS. This stage is done not simultaneously in large numbers.

"The PPS inauguration can be carried out in each sub-district with a mechanism of 5 Heads / Members of Regency / City KPU given the authority each to inaugurate a separate sub-district," said Arief.

"If there is still too much, it can also be done in waves, morning to evening, to avoid mass gathering in large numbers," he said.

Political parties are waiting for a decision

Deputy General Chairperson (Waketum) for Cadreization and Strategic Information of DPP Gerindra Sugiono opened the discourse for postponing the 2020 Pilkada. The reason was that the government had designated the corona outbreak as a disaster emergency problem, even though the emergency period was only until May 29.

"In my opinion, the implementation should pay attention to the status of the national disaster from the government. If it really needs to be postponed, why not delay it," said Sugiono, contacted by VOI.

Meanwhile, PDIP politician Johan Budi said there were still 6 months left for the implementation of the regional head elections. He also entrusted the KPU as the election organizer to consider this matter.

"The simultaneous regional elections will be held in September. There are still 6 months ahead. I am sure the KPU will mitigate the spread of the Corona virus (Covid-19). Therefore, we fully submit to the KPU, whether it needs to be postponed or not," said the former. a spokesman for President Joko Widodo, who is now a member of Commission II of the DPR.

Decree of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs

Today, Wednesday, March 18, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD confirmed that the 2020 simultaneous regional elections will still be held in September. This decision was taken after a teleconference with the KPU leadership, the Bawaslu leadership, the DKPP leadership, the Director General for Regional Autonomy, the TNI Commander and the National Police Chief.

"I chaired a meeting which concluded that there was no change in the stages and schedule of the elections. The head of the KPU assures us all that until now there has been no change in schedule," Mahfud told reporters, Wednesday, March 18.

Although there was no change in schedule, Mahfud said there were changes in work patterns due to the spread of COVID-19. One of these changes was the inauguration of members of the Voting Committee (PPS) who did not have to gather at the Regency office or the Mayor's office, just at the District office. Usually, these inaugurations are done concurrently, but to prevent crowds, it will be done in stages.

"Even factual verification, which usually brings together many supporters, is also arranged according to the situation directed by the response task force led by Doni Monardo (Head of BNPB)," he said.