Message From The Governor Of West Sumatra Irwan To His Successor Who Won In The Pilkada

Governor of West Sumatra Irwan Prayitno. (BETWEEN PHOTOS / Miko Elfisha)

JAKARTA - West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno asked his successor who was elected in the 2020 simultaneous regional elections to prioritize the prevention and control of COVID-19 after being inaugurated.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet, so tackling it must be a priority for the safety of the community," he said in Padang, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, December 9.

According to him, as of Tuesday, December 8, 21,161 people from West Sumatra have been positively infected with COVID-19. Of that number, 18,474 people have been declared cured and 462 people died.

The remaining 200 people are self-isolating and 137 people are treated in a number of hospitals.

Meanwhile, West Sumatra's "positivity rate" until Tuesday (8/12) was still at 7.82 percent or higher than the maximum reference rate from the WHO, which is 5 percent.

However, he said the program of activities to be implemented in the future was fully under the authority of the new governor based on the vision and mission that had been conveyed to the public.

But he believes that the purpose of the vision and mission remains to improve people's welfare, one of which is by making controlling COVID-19 one of the priorities until the pandemic actually ends.

Meanwhile, for the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada, he said, the West Sumatra Provincial Government has coordinated with election organizers and related parties to unify commitments, anticipating that the Pilkada will not become a new cluster for the spread of COVID-19.

Steps have been taken including ensuring the implementation of health protocols at each polling station by both organizers and voters.

Previously all organizers had also taken a rapid test. Those whose results were reactive to COVID-19 took a swab test. But the results are not all out.

The policy was taken, for the West Sumatra Bawaslu to replace reactive members or positive results. Meanwhile, the KPU has decided not to replace it, but to empower existing human resources.

"We have tried our best as possible for this Pilkada not to become a new cluster for COVID-19. Hopefully it will be carried out well," said Irwan Prayitno.