KPU Allows 50 Attendees for Direct Election Campaign

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The General Election Commission (KPU) issued new regulations related to the implementation of the 2020 Regional Head Election or Pilkada. In the new rules, the KPU limited the number of attendees of face-to-face or direct campaign to 50 at maximum.

“The number of participants permitted to attend is a maximum of 50 people,” as noted in Article 58 (2b) of the new regulation No. 13/2020.

The policy was inked by the agency chairperson Arief Budiman on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. It was released in order to adjust the implementation of the simultaneous election during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new rules noted that the face-to-face campaign remained permissible. As in Article 58, and in the previous decree, the election committee demanded candidate pairs to prioritize campaign activities through social media and online media.

In addition, Article 58 (2a) said the campaign could be held in a room or building, revised from the previous rule No. 6/2020.

The government insisted on holding the election, arguing it was aimed at the people’s constitutional rights. Thus the election would remain on schedule on December 9, 2020. 

Previously, many parties suggested the government halt the 2020 Pilkada, including an election watchdog the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) over concerns of Covid-19 transmission.

Read: Mahfud MD Explains Reasons Why Govt Insists on Holding 2020 Election

FAJAR PEBRIANTO