After A Parade, The Incumbent Candidate For The West Muna Regent Pilkada Got COVID-19

Illustration (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Director General of Regional Autonomy (Otda) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Akmal Malik stated that the West Muna Regent Laode Muhammad Rajiun Tumada was infected with COVID-19.

Akmal said, Rajiun Tumanda tested positive for COVID-19 after previously being reprimanded for carrying out a procession with the community ahead of the 2020 Pilkada registration period.

"The Regent of West Muna, who was reprimanded for violating health protocols, was positive for COVID-19," Akmal told reporters, Tuesday, September 8.

Initially, on August 13, Rajiun Tumada held an activity that gathered thousands of people from West Muna Regency to convey that he was a candidate for regional head in the 2020 Pilkada.

Rajiun Tumada then traveled on foot with the community from Kota Raha Harbor to Tugu Jati. He was accompanied by a convoy of vehicles and flags of political parties.

From that incident, the Ministry of Home Affairs asked the Governor of Southeast Sulawesi to make a written warning to Rajiun Tumada as Regent of West Muna.

"This warning was carried out because it caused a crowd and contradicts the government's efforts to overcome and break the chain of transmission of the COVID-19 outbreak," he said.

Then, on the day of registration for the nomination of regional heads, the Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Health Office stated that Rajiun Tumada was positive for the corona virus. This is known from the PCR test results of Bahteramas Hospital as of September 4, 2020.

"This is the bad behavior of the candidate pairs related to mass gathering which has bad consequences for himself and others. The results are real, he was immediately given COVID-19," said Akmal.