Bogor City Enters Disaster Alert Zone, Council Asks 451 TPS At Disaster Prone Locations To Be Shifted

Illustration of the 2024 Election (ANTARA)

BOGOR - Chairman of the Bogor City DPRD, Atang Trisnanto, proposed that local general election organizers (elections) provide school buildings and government buildings to move 451 polling points (TPS) that are categorized as disaster-prone or difficult for the public to access.

According to Atang, the transfer of disaster-prone TPS to school buildings or government buildings is an effort to anticipate the risk of Golput due to disturbances in security, comfort and safety of voters and committees during the election on February 14, 2024 in Bogor City.

Data on disaster mapping of the Bogor City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), from 2,913 polling stations, there are 451 polling stations located at natural disaster-prone points. Disaster-prone TPS spread over the red zone at 115 points in the South Bogor area, 98 in West Bogor District, 79 in North Bogor, 68 in Tanah Sareal, 61 in Central Bogor and 30 points in East Bogor.

Head of BPBD Bogor City, Hidayatullah, said that these points are areas that have the potential for disasters, for example, tornadoes, track floods and landslides.

Moreover, said Atang, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has reminded the Provincial Government (Pemprov) of West Java to be aware of the potential for extreme weather to make the 2024 General Election a success.

"We don't want the golput community because the place is uncomfortable, vulnerable, not easily accessible and the committee is threatened with safety because the TPS location is prone to disasters," said Atang in Bogor City, Friday, February 2.

Atang considered that by mapping disaster-prone areas from BPBD and forecasts from BMKG, it could be a very important reference for information, especially in Bogor City, either shifting TPS to a safer place or using representative buildings.

According to him, in terms of security, the mitigation of the rainy season also needs to be emphasized to ensure that no ballots are sent or stored damaged by rainwater in storage space or during delivery trips.

All anticipation of the location of the TPS and securing ballots from extreme weather needs to be done immediately to face the 2024 General Election, because currently the voting time is just a matter of days.

Reflecting on the 2019 election, the West Java KPU said that at least 680 ballot boxes were submerged in mud in the storage warehouse, Ciseeng District, Bogor Regency, although of the total only 300 ballot boxes were damaged.

"From the experience of other regions we learn, we don't want ballots and ballot boxes to be damaged in Bogor City because they are affected by rain, even though this city is labeled a rainy city. We hope it can be anticipated together," he said.

Moreover, he said, Bogor City is a disaster alert zone, where the Bogor City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has mapped out residents who live in black zones and disaster red zones.