TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - INDEF (Institute For Development of Economics and Finance) senior economist, Didik J. Rachbini, on Thursday expressed disagreement against the nationwide Pilkada regional elections that will continue to take place this year as he fears it will cause a rise in COVID-19 infections.

Didik boldly claims that the government had actually failed to correctly handle the COVID-19 pandemic from the health perspective in the past 8 months as the virus started to spread in March.

“This means that the Indonesian government has failed to protect its citizens as Article 4 of the 1945 Constitution dictates. Not only have they failed, but the government will also hold the Pilkada where more than 100 million people will cast their votes,” said the senior INDEF economist on Thursday.

By persistently holding the simultaneous regional head elections, Didik believes the government will only further plunge its people to a “mass-suicide” and argues that political rights are being prioritized over the basic right to live.

“Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama have asked for the Pilkada to be postponed, but the government is adamant to continue as they say it is the political right. But is political right above the right to live?” said Didik to Bisnis.com.

Read also: Business Association: Recession Unavoidable, Economic Crisis Must be Averted

BISNIS | EKO WAHYUDI