Jakarta (ANTARA) - The rate of health protocol violations during the last week of the campaign period of the 2020 simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada) was successfully clamped down to 2.2 percent, the Home Affairs Ministry’s official stated.
"It has been successfully suppressed to a relatively low level, and the compliance of candidate pairs, success teams, community, and all stakeholders is getting better," Kastorius Sinaga, a special staff to the Minister of Home Affairs for Politics and Media, noted in a statement here on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Home Affairs' Pilkada Desk has aggregated data on violations taking place during the local election process.
The level of health protocol violations during the face-to-face campaign period has been decreasing, according to Sinaga.
"The (rate of) violation is only 2.2 percent, which is relatively small, with face-to-face campaign participants exceeding a little over 50, though no crowding occurred," Sinaga remarked.
The special staff noted that health protocols were implemented suitably in accordance with the National General Elections Commission (KPU) Regulation No. 13 of 2020.
Furthermore, no serious disturbances reportedly occurred, and civil servants have, so far, been neutral, Sinaga stated.
Most of the governors, district heads, and mayors in 67 regions holding the simultaneous regional head elections have followed 131 reports on violations on the neutrality of civil servants after warning letters, dated Oct 27, were issued from the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Home Affairs, he noted.
"With the conducive climate for elections, we are optimistic of the political participation being high. We urge all citizens to avoid spreading hoaxes," he stated.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in cooperation with other stakeholders, continues to closely monitor the daily and weekly frequency of conditions in all regions holding regional elections, he stated.
"This is to ensure a sense of safety and comfort for voters exercising their rights on the voting day on December 9," he stated.
In the meantime, on Nov 18, 2020, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian pointed to a significant decline in the number of COVID-19 red zone regions hosting the regional head elections.
Based on the September data, the number of regions classified as red zones decreased, from 45 to18 since every stakeholder had applied health protocols strictly during the local elections.
Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy after the US and India, is holding simultaneous Pilkada in 270 regions, or nearly half of its territories, on December 9 this year.
The campaign period lasts from September 26 to December 5, 2020.
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