The requests of PBNU and Muhammadiyah have been heard, but the President decides that the Pilkada should not be postponed. Page all

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said that President Joko Widodo had heard the proposal to postpone the Pilkada 2020 presented by the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) and the Central Executive (PP ) Muhammadiyah.

“From the mass organizations, from the UN, Muhamadiyah, everything was heard and the president held meetings or discussed specifically to discuss it,” Mahfud said at a virtual coordination meeting for the preparations for Pilkada 2020, on Tuesday (9/22/2020 ).

Also read: The Pilkada 2020 is still taking place, Mahfud: The government does not want a regional head Plt

According to Mahfud, President Jokowi has also considered proposals from the public, both from groups who want the Pilkada to be postponed or continued.

However, after hearing the considerations and suggestions of the ministry leaders, President Jokowi argued that the Pilkada should not be postponed.

Mahfud said that the president’s decision had also been submitted to DPR, KPU, Bawaslu, DKPP through Interior Minister (Mendagari) Tito Karnavian on Monday (9/21/2020).

“So the discussion has been deep, everything has been heard,” he said.

Also read: PBNU calls for the 2020 regional elections to be postponed

Mahfud said that so far no one can confirm when the Covid-19 pandemic will end.

“In a country where the Covid-19 attack was greater like the United States, the election was not postponed, in several countries the election was not postponed,” Mahfud said.

Mahfud added that the president also reasoned that the pilkada stages that should have started on September 23, 2020 had been postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The decision to postpone the postponement was made at a hearing (RDP) held by Commission II of the DPR together with the KPU and the Ministry of the Interior, on Monday (3/30/2020).

“In fact, Pilkada has been postponed, than was originally scheduled for September 23. That delay has been made to respond to the voices of the public who wanted the postponement,” Mahfud said.

Previously reported, Commission II of the Indonesian Parliament together with the government and election organizers agreed that Pilkada 2020 will still be held on December 9, 2020.

However, Commission II requested that the implementation of the Covid-19 protocol be implemented consistently and violators must be given strict penalties.

Also read: For the sake of public safety, PP Muhammadiyah calls for the 2020 regional elections to be postponed

“Commission II of the RPD together with the Minister of the Interior, the President of the KPU, the Head of Bawaslu and the President of the DKPP agreed that the Pilkada 2020 will continue to be held on December 9, 2020 with disciplinary application and legal sanctions for violations of the Covid-19 health protocol, “said Commission II Chairman Ahmad Doli Kurnia reading conclusion of the meeting, Monday (9/21/2020).

In addition, Commission II requested the KPU to review the KPU Regulation (PKPU) Number 10 of 2020 that regulates the implementation of the Pilkada 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Doli said the PKPU review was expected to specifically regulate, among other things, the banning of gatherings that involve the masses and the encouragement of online campaigns.

In addition, it also requires the use of masks, hand sanitizers, soap and other personal protective equipment (PPE) as campaign means.

Then, application of discipline and strict legal sanctions for violators of the Covid-19 protocol in accordance with Law Number 10 of 2016 on Pilkada, Law Number 4 of 1984 on Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases, Law Number 6 of 2018 on Sanitary Quarantine and The criminal code.

The 2020 regional elections were held in 270 regions, covering 9 provinces, 224 districts, and 37 cities. Pilkada’s voting day is scheduled to be held simultaneously on December 9.