"This decision to postpone the regional head elections is a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia in accordance with President Joko Widodo's directive pertaining to channeling all state efforts to saving the lives of Indonesian people," Fadjroel Rachman, the presidential spokesman, noted in an official statement here on Saturday.
The decision taken by KPU on postponing several stages of the 2020 elections features in letter numbered 179 / PL.02-Kpt / 01 / KPU / 111/2020 dated March 21, 2020.
At least four stages of the elections have been postponed, with the first being the inauguration of the voting committee (PPS) members and the PPS work period, while the second pertained to verifying the terms of support for individual regional head candidates.
The third stage delayed was the establishment of the voter data updating officer, while the last is the stage of updating and compiling the voter list.
However, the polling date remains unchanged from the scheduled September 23, 2020, though developments surrounding the COVID-19 response in the country.
He pointed out that democracy and direct local elections were mandated in the 1945 Constitution and the 1998 Reform agenda. The postponement would not alter those key principles of the 2020 elections, he affirmed. Related news: KPU postpones regional elections' preliminary stages
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Translator: Rangga PAJ, Fardah
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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