Denial Of All Reasons The Government Persists To Continue The 2020 Pilkada

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The government has decided that the 2020 Pilkada will continue to be held during the COVID-19 pandemic even though many parties have asked to postpone it.

The government has a number of reasons for which the 2020 Simultaneous Pilkada continued to be held according to stages. However, the reasons put forward by the government still have objections.

Momentum suppresses the spread of COVID-19

First, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian assessed that the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada could reduce the spread of COVID-19. This is because the pilkada has become a momentum to elect leaders in regions who have the main authority to control handling control in their respective regions.

According to the Head of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Political Research Center Firman Noor, the facts in the field related to the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada stages show that the level of discipline is still low to comply with health protocols.

This is supported by the development of the 2020 Pilkada Vulnerability Index issued by Bawaslu. There are indications that 50 districts / municipalities holding regional elections are categorized as high risk of COVID-19 transmission.

"The crowd and processions of supporters of candidate pairs are still happening and difficult to control." This is a result of the political tradition in Indonesia when political elections are synonymous with mass physical mobilization of support, "said Firman, Thursday, October 1. .

Don't know when the pandemic ends

Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Human Rights Mahfud MD said that the regional election should not be postponed because neither party knows when the pandemic will end. The worry is that there is no guarantee that the pandemic will end when it resumes after a delay.

In fact, according to epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia (UI) Pandu Riono, the government cannot make ignorance of when the COVID-19 pandemic will end as an excuse to avoid potential postponement of regional elections.

Pandu said, the election could be postponed until the government managed to control the development of the COVID-19 case. No need to end it.

The meaning of a controllable pandemic means that the trend of cases has decreased, and as many as 85 percent of the population adhere to health protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining distance.

"For example, if the local election is postponed until April. Then, the government can make the handling of COVID-19 in December under control. That is a target. Once under control, April will resume and conditions are safer," Pandu said on Wednesday, September 30. .

Acting regional head is difficult to make strategic policies

Head of Legislation at the Directorate General of Regional Autonomy at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Saydiman Marto, said that when the regional election is postponed, it means that the leadership in the area will be filled by the acting (Pj) as long as the regional head's term of office runs out and does not have a new regional head.

Officials have limitations, namely they cannot make strategic decisions and execute policies. In fact, this is necessary in dealing with a pandemic.

However, this was denied by LIPI political researcher Siti Zuhro. Zuhro assessed that the government's reasons regarding the impact of the vacant position of regional heads filled by the Acting as executor (Plt) are not fundamental.

"It is too naive to say that strategic decisions cannot be taken because of his position as Acting Head of regional heads," Zuhro said on Thursday, October 1.

"Plt already has the means, it can be taken from the center, from the province, or from the regional government of the city district itself. So there is no deadlock in this matter," he continued.

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Fulfillment of constitutional rights

Fourth, Menkopolhukam Mahfud MD said the consideration of continuing the pilkada was an effort to guarantee the constitutional rights of the people in terms of being elected and electing. However, this was denied by the Head of the Komnas HAM Pilkada Monitoring Team, Hairansyah.

"Indeed, the continuation of the democratic process remains an important part. The right to vote and be elected is part of human rights. But on the other hand, returning to the anchor is the highest human being, namely public health or safety," said Hairansyah on Tuesday, September 29. .

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