The 2020 Regional Election Budget Has Not Been Disbursed, Bawaslu Turns Its Brain To Find PPE

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The stages of simultaneous regional elections in 2020 are continued. The continuation of the stages began with the inauguration of the sub-district election committee (PPK), the polling committee (KPPS), and the election supervisory committee (Panwaslu).

Chairman of the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Abhan said, one of the crucial things is the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) for election organizers and election supervisors.

However, said Abhan, until now the election administration budget originating from the APBN has not been disbursed, either to Bawaslu or the General Election Commission (KPU).

"To this day, nothing has been disbursed to the Bawaslu account. I think it is the same as in the KPU. The information received is that the process is still in reconciliation to collect supporting data, adding that any existing needs will be verified by the Ministry of Finance," Abhan said at the conference. virtual press, Monday, June 15th.

In fact, during the early days of COVID-19, PPE equipment such as the use of masks, face shields, and gloves for election organizers was the main requirement to protect officers from the transmission of the corona virus.

"Our hope is that hopefully the budget can be disbursed soon because the prerequisite for the pilkada to be continued in June is the strict standard of the COVID protocol. Hopefully on the 23rd the PPE can be dropped for the organizers," said Abhan.

Abhan also thought of alternative solutions if the budget disbursement was past the deadline. Abhan instructed the regional Bawaslu to coordinate with the government in their respective regions regarding the provision of PPE.

"So, who has the stock, I think it can be borrowed first, how can the mechanism be arranged at a later date. Actually, in the initial principle, what we need is the completeness of PPE. Who will provide it, please. Once we go to the field, there is already PPE. , "he said.

So far, the preparations for the Pilkada that are being carried out by Bawaslu now include drafting Bawaslu regulations, monitoring stages, handling violations, resolving disputes for the election of governors, mayors and regents in non-natural disasters.

"So, that is what election supervisors can use in carrying out their stage supervision duties in the near future," he said.