KSP Staff Assesses The Budget For The Procurement Of Masks During The Regional Election In The Middle Of The COVID-19 Event Is Not Necessary

Election simulation (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has approved an additional fee for the 2020 Pilkada which will be held on 9 December. However, Deputy IV of the Presidential Staff Office, Jury Ardianto, still has questions regarding the additional budget for the regional head elections to be held in 270 regions.

"Is it true that the budget must add almost Rp. 5 trillion to this Pilkada. Does it all have to be a new budget. Is it not possible that the budget can be obtained from the efficiency of budget allocations set in each region," said the jury in a discussion broadcast online on YouTube. , Sunday, June 14th.

He also questioned the existence of the procurement of masks for the implementation of the elections. According to him, the procurement of masks does not need to be budgeted for because people are always advised to always use masks when traveling outside the home.

"For example, masks, masks are attached to every voter. Every Indonesian citizen has been regulated through various government policies. If he leaves the house, wear a mask. So, when he comes to the polling station he will already wear a mask," said the jury.

"So there is no need for a budget to buy masks, for example," he added.

Instead of adding to the budget, the jury said, the organizers should make efficiency by reallocating the budget from existing posts.

"For example, I take an example, one of the Pilkada activities that may cost a lot of money is usually socialization, coordination meetings, technical guidance, all of them face to face and takes up the budget. I think it can also be reallocated for the fulfillment of PPE," he explained.

The jury said the health protocols that had to be prepared at the polling stations (TPS) were deemed unnecessary. According to him, the most important thing is that each TPS must provide a place to wash hands.

In addition, to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 at TPS, the community and all parties must be able to maintain a distance. The trick is to adjust their sitting position so as not to cluster.

Another alternative, continued the jury, is that the TPS committee can arrange the voting time. So, people do not crowd and can safely exercise their democratic rights.

"For the health protocol during the Pilkada, I don't think it is necessary to imagine a doctor treating COVID-19 patients," he said.

In the same discussion, Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the Indonesian Parliament Saan Mustopa responded to the jury's statement. He confirmed that the community had been obliged to wear masks. It's just that, on the ground, not all of them comply with these obligations.

"Our people are urged to leave wearing masks, but in practice when the PSBB took place, the ratio of people who came out wearing masks and those who did not wear masks was enormous," said Saan.

The Secretary of the NasDem Faction in the DPR RI said that the General Election Commission (KPU) should properly facilitate voters wearing masks. Do not let it, just because people do not have masks, they cannot vote.

"So the KPU as the organizer, the government, and the DPR will continue to prepare. If there are voters who come without wearing masks, it must be facilitated. It is impossible, right, the officers are ordered to go home. Those who are told to return home are when their body temperature is checked and so is above normal," he said.

Furthermore, Saan then reminded the KPU to be detailed in preparing for the 2020 Pilkada. Including when voting takes place on 9 December.

Moreover, this regional election was held in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, which until now the cases are still increasing. "So technically the implementation of the regional head elections in the middle of this Covid, we ask for the details of the adjustment," he said.

Previously, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani approved the addition of the 2020 Pilkada budget proposed by the general election commission (KPU) in a joint meeting with Commission II of the DPR.

In the first stage, Sri Mulyani granted a budget of IDR 1 trillion out of the total requested by the KPU of IDR 4.77 trillion. This budget comes from the national revenue and expenditure budget (APBN).

"In order to support the entire Pilkada process, we decided to provide the first stage or IDR1 trillion as requested by the KPU. While continuing to review documents in accordance with statutory provisions," said the Minister of Finance at the Commission II meeting, Thursday, 12 June.

On the same occasion, KPU Chairman Arief Budiman said an additional budget of IDR 4.77 trillion was needed because there were a number of additional items needed to be able to hold regional elections with the COVID-19 health protocol.

The tools and goods in question include 13 million cloth masks, 304 thousand disposable masks for KPPS officers, 609 thousand boxes of spare disposable masks for voters at TPS, 6.5 million bottles of hand sanitizer, and two million bottles of disinfectant.

Furthermore, the additional budget will be used to procure 5.4 million boxes of plastic gloves, 2.4 million bottles of liquid soap, 712 thousand infrared thermometers, four million face shields, and various other needs.