The Biggest Potential For Violation Of The COVID-19 Protocol In The Pilkada Is A Campaign

JAKARTA - Telematics expert Roy Suryo suggested that the campaign activities for regional head candidates in the 2020 Pilkada be carried out online and not holding face-to-face meetings.

This is because, he said, campaigns that are usually carried out by gathering volunteers and the public have the potential to violate recommendations for implementing health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The campaign, if it is opened, will have a very large chance of violations. In my opinion, the campaign stages must be carried out technologically," Roy said in a virtual discussion with BNPB, Monday, July 6.

Based on Roy's experience of being a member of a political party, campaign activities must have generated crowds. Moreover, it cannot be ascertained that all volunteers or success teams for regional head candidates are free from corona virus infection.

"My experience is 15 years in politics, even though I am now non-partisan, there are always timses coming to that place. In fact, the timses cannot be confirmed for free (COVID-19) or not," he said.

Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Arief Budiman admitted that he could not prohibit candidates for regional heads and political parties from holding open campaigns by gathering the masses.

Because, the making of technical rules regarding the stages of the 2020 Pilkada still refers to Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning Pilkada. Under these regulations, open campaign performances are allowed.

"Actually, we also want to eliminate the physical meetings so that everything is replaced online. But it is not possible and there will be objections to us because the law still allows it," said Arief.

Therefore, the KPU regulates the technical implementation of face-to-face campaigns by implementing the COVID-19 protocol.

"We still allow the campaign but it is regulated. For example, attendees may not exceed 40 percent of the room capacity. If you use tables and chairs, you must set the distance of 1 meter, use a mask, face shield, and so on," said Arief.

Adding, Plt. Director General of Administrative and Territorial Development of the Ministry of Home Affairs Safrizal ZA said the government would control the implementation of health protocols by zoning.

The zoning is divided into a red zone which has a high risk of transmission of COVID-19, an orange zone with a moderate risk of transmission, a yellow zone with a low risk of transmission, and a green zone that has no cases or has had no new cases in 4 weeks.

"For example, if the campaign activities in the green zone there are physical gatherings with 200 people barricaded. Then, in the red zone there are fewer than that," said Safrizal.

Even though the protocol was technically detailed in each zone of the spread of the corona virus, Safrizal suggested that candidates for regional heads and political parties hold campaigns online. Moreover, a campaign pattern like this can save expenses.

"The use of technology is the key word. If you want, a campaign with 10,000 people used to cost billions. Now, tens of millions can gather the masses by streaming," he concluded.