Simultaneous Regional Election, Minister Of Home Affairs: Do Not Select Regional Heads Who Are Slow To Handle COVID-19

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian (Photo: Twitter @kemendagri)

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian suggested that the public should be more careful in making choices in the simultaneous regional elections in December. Especially electing regional heads who return to advance in the elections or incumbent candidates.

In fact, Tito advised the public not to choose an incumbent candidate if the performance in handling the COVID-19 case was not optimal. This is because the community needs a regional head who does real work in handling this virus.

"The regional head (if, red) is not effective in dealing with COVID-19, then don't be elected again. Because, the people need regional heads who can effectively handle the COVID-19 problem in their respective regions, along with the social and economic impacts," said Tito. Ministry of Home Affairs, Central Jakarta, Monday, June 22.

Not without reason, this suggestion was given by the former National Police Chief. Tito views that the corona virus is a central issue that will color the 2020 Pilkada. The success of handling COVID-19 is a moment to increase the electability of the incumbent regional head candidate.

Meanwhile, the opposing party, he said, would look for gaps in the campaign by cornering regional heads who were unable to suppress the spread of the corona virus.

"Non-incumbent contestants will look for weaknesses, if any (green or yellow zone, red) rises to red, then they will be beaten by the contestants with the issue (the performance of the regional head, ed) is not effective," said Tito.

For information, the 2020 simultaneous regional elections will be held on December 9, 2020. KPU plans to simulate the 2020 Pilkada voting day in July. There are 270 regional heads to be selected.

The stage begins by reactivating the Pilkada officers of the voting organizer group (KPPS), the sub-district election committee (PPK), or the voting committee (PPS).

Chairman of KPU RI Arief Budiman explained, as many as 385 ranks of ad hoc pilkada officers needed to be replaced.

"We have recruited several officers, but some have resigned, some have died, some are no longer eligible. We will immediately ask the Provincial and Regency / City KPUs to recruit to replace them," said Arief.

After that, a new simulation can be done. With a note, implementing the implementation of the COVID-19 prevention protocol to anticipate the transmission of the corona virus during the Pilkada.

"Hopefully, the KPU will get the full support of all parties, including all Indonesian people, in facing the implementation of the regional head elections, whose challenges are not easy this year," he said.