141 Bapaslon Allegedly Violating COVID-19 Protocol When Registering Pilkada

Member of Bawaslu RI Fritz Edward Siregar (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Member of the Indonesian Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Fritz Edward Siregar stated that 141 candidate pairs were suspected of violating the COVID-19 prevention protocol when registering as regional head candidates to their respective regional KPUs.

That means, almost half of the 315 pairs of candidates who participated in the 2020 Simultaneous Pilkada were suspected of violating health protocols in the form of processions and crowds.

"The 141 chaplones are suspected of violating the KPU regulations which strictly prohibit convoys and processions in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Fritz, quoted from the official website of Bawaslu, Sunday, September 6.

On that occasion, Fritz said that the local Bawaslu ranks had directly admonished the prospective candidate pairs who mobilized the masses to enliven the registration process.

In addition to violating KPU regulations regarding the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fritz considers the procession carried out by the candidate pairs also has the potential to violate Law Number 6 of 2020 concerning Pilkada.

Therefore, if a Bawaslu study finds violations related to PKPU or Law 6/2020, then Bawaslu will recommend to other parties such as the police to follow up further.

"For this reason, the Provincial / Municipal Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) will forward findings or reports that are not under their authority to the competent authorities in accordance with Article 28 (1) e and Article 33 e of Law 6/2020," said Fritz.

As is known, the registration period for regional head candidate pairs to participate in the 2020 Simultaneous Pilkada continues on Friday, September 4. KPU provides registration opportunities for 3 days, until 6 September.

Keep in mind, the implementation of the stages of regional elections this year, starting from candidacy to voting, was held during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We urge all parties, both organizers and potential pairs of candidates to comply with health protocols in registration activities," said KPU I Commissioner Dewa Kade Wiarsa Raka Sandi.

In particular, there are special provisions that must be followed by political participants in contesting. The rules regarding the registration of 2020 Pilkada candidate pairs are regulated in KPU Regulation Number 6 of 2020.

Article 49 PKPU Number 6 of 2020 mandates that the procedure for submitting registration documents for prospective pairs of candidates is carried out by implementing the COVID-19 prevention protocol for file submission activities.

Then, the registration of prospective pairs of candidates is only attended by the prospective pairs of candidates, as well as the chairperson and secretary of the proposing party or coalition of political parties.

"Thus, registration of candidate pairs is expected to run smoothly and smoothly in accordance with the implementation of health protocols," said Raka.