Bawaslu Says There Is Potential For Fraud By Incumbent Candidates

Head of Bawaslu Abhan, center (Photo: Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The stages of the 2020 simultaneous regional elections were continued. The Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) will monitor the political movements of regional heads who return to contest the regional elections as incumbent candidates.

Because, there is a possibility that the regional head will cheat by paving the way for potential victories in the election using his power.

Head of Bawaslu Abhan reminded incumbent regional heads, both mayors, regents, and governors in 270 regions that will carry out regional elections, they are prohibited from mutating or changing regional ASN officials for the remainder of their tenure.

"We appeal to incumbent prospective candidates not to transfer positions from March 23 to 6 months prior to the appointment of a candidate pair," Abhan said in a virtual press conference, Monday, June 15.

This prohibition is contained in Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning Pilkada. Article 71 Paragraph (2) mandates that the governor or deputy governor, regent or deputy regent, and mayor or deputy mayor are prohibited from making changes to officials 6 months before the date of determination of the pair of candidates until the end of the term of office unless written approval from the minister is obtained.

"For regional heads who violate, the threat can be administrative sanctions and disqualification," said Abhan.

Abhan continued, Bawaslu will also coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the distribution of social assistance during the COVID-19 period. This is because the incumbent regional head can use social assistance as an effort to image the regional head candidates.

"Covid-19 Social Assistance has potential abuse of power for ranks who may become incumbents. Because, there are also many potential candidates for incumbents, there are around 200 (regions)," he said.

On that basis, Abhan again reminded incumbent candidates not to abuse Bansos for the purpose of raising Pilkada support.

"We will continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs because this is the area of the Ministry of Home Affairs, in case of imposing sanctions and all kinds of things because this is included in the area of law number 23 of 2014 concerning regional government, application of article 71 and so on in regional elections," he said.