"The death toll of polling station committee members is high. This is an eye-opener for us to review the implementation model of the simultaneous elections. What are its repercussions on employee health? This evaluation is deemed necessary," he informed ANTARA here, Wednesday.
Arya underscored the significance of setting an age limit while appointing people to manage polling station working committees as a precautionary measure against recurrence of such fatal incidents in future.
Pointing to the fact that elderly individuals handled ballot booths, he suggested that reassessment should encompass roping in youngsters deemed physically capable and determined to run polling station working committees.
Arya extended condolences to the city residents dying of overwork or being hospitalized owing to exhaustion or meeting with traffic accidents in the midst of their hectic work schedules for the 2019 Parliamentary and Presidential Elections at their polling stations.
"I have tried to pay a visit to each one of them. They have fallen sick after becoming fatigued. I will at once find out how many people are part of the real counting process. I request to not pressurize them. We do not want to witness any other fatalities or victims," he affirmed.
In the meantime, Bogor City's General Elections Commission Chairman Samsudin confirmed the deaths of two heads of polling station working committees owing to fatigue identified as Anwar Sofyan, head of the KPPS number 75 in Tegal Gundil Village; and Rasti, head of KPPS number 31 in Bondongan Village.
"Six others are undergoing treatment in a hospital and at home after being overworked or having met with traffic accidents," Samsudin noted.
KPU Commissioner Viryan Aziz informed journalists in Jakarta on Tuesday of the deaths of 119 polling station working committee members, and 548 others falling ill. The aforementioned people were managing different ballot booths across Indonesia's 25 provinces.
Furthermore, Commissioner of the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Fritz Edward Siregar confirmed that 33 Elections Supervisory Committee members too lost their lives while fulfilling electoral duties.
Translator: M.Fikri S, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
