IO – The Simultaneous Regional Elections are to be held in a matter of days, on 9 December 2020. Naturally, President Joko Widodo will focus his attention on the events. To avoid COVID-19 from ruining the Elections, “I ask that the Minister of Home Affairs, the Chief of ediPolice, and the Regional COVID Task Force to pay special attention to the Regional Elections that are only two weeks away. This is also necessary so that our huge task, to resolve the COVID disease and revive the economy, does not get interrupted,” he said as he opened the closed meeting broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel on Monday (23/11/2020).
Jokowi instructs his staff to uphold regulations and implement strict health protocol discipline for electoral organizers, voters, candidates, and the public, especially during final campaigning and voting day. He further instructs them to prevent any activity that might potentially violate health protocols, as early as possible. “We do not want the Regional Elections to create momentum for new Coronavirus infection clusters. The Task Forces, the Committees, the Governors must remain alert. The strategy that we have announced from the start is to take strict control of both brakes and gas – let’s not slack off and allow for a second wave to occur. Therefore, prevention and intervention of activities that violate the protocols must be executed strictly and as early as possible,” he said.
270 regions will be participating in the 2020 Regional Elections on 9 December. They include the election of Governors, Mayors, and Regents, all with strict health protocols to prevent further spread of COVID-19. The latest records of the COVID-19 Task Force show that 17 regencies and municipalities in Indonesia included in the Simultaneous Regional Elections while being in the Red Zone are: Gunungsitoli (North Sumatra), Payakumbuh (West Sumatra), Tanjung Pinang (Riau Islands), Bandar Lampung (Lampung), Pesawaran (Lampung), Cilegon (Banten), Bandung (West Java), Karawang (West Java), Tasikmalaya (West Java), Boyolali (Central Java), Kendal (Central Java), Pemalang (Central Java), Sukoharjo (Central Java), Sragen (Central Java), East Barito (Central Kalimantan), Kutai Kartanegara (East Kalimantan), and East Kutai (East Kalimantan). (dan)