This age restriction is set to prevent the recurrence of the incident of the deaths of 722 KPPS workers during the 2019 General Election, member of KPU Idham Holik told reporters here on Thursday.
The deaths of these KPPS workers served as an important lesson for the KPU to ensure that such an incident will not take place again, he affirmed.
In addition, he said that the age limit was established by the KPU based on the review that they had conducted and inputs from various parties, such as the Health Ministry, election activists, and the public.
Moreover, the KPU has read the research on the cause behind the deaths of KPPS workers in the 2019 General Election undertaken by Gadjah Mada University (UGM).
Based on KPU's own review result, it was found that people in the age bracket of 17 to 55 years have better immunity.
Thus, they can perform their job well as stipulated by KPU's bill on vote collection and calculation.
"This means that KPPS' work will not be disrupted due to the inadequate health factor," he stated.
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In future, the commission will follow up on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the KPU and Health Ministry that had been inked in 2021.
This MoU was signed to ensure that all members of ad hoc agencies, whether they are the KPPS, sub-district election committee (PPK) or the voting committee (PPS), are in good health.
"Later, we will meet with the Health Ministry officials to discuss the follow up from that MoU," Holik stated.
He then expressed belief that the central and regional governments across Indonesia remain strongly committed to ensuring the provision of health examination facility for ad hoc agencies.
The KPU will also ensure that KPPS members to be recruited by the commission in December 2023 and January 2024 are those in good health and are capable of organizing voting, he noted.
Earlier, the commission only stipulated the minimum age requirement for ad hoc agency members, which is 17 years, based on KPU Regulation (PKPU) No. 36 of 2018.
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Translator: Tri Meilani A, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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