In addition, the KPU only accepts healthy people aged no more than 55 years to become officers of the KPPS, which is an ad hoc body for the elections.
Asy'ari explained that the rule is made to prevent cases of deaths among KPPS officers during the voting day scheduled for February 14.
"Regional governments provide support, namely health checks and health facilities, to members of ad hoc bodies," he stated after inaugurating around 5.7 million KPPS officers nationwide in Jakarta.
He noted that for social security, President Joko Widodo had issued Instruction Number 2 of 2021 on Employment Social Security.
He explained that the president's instructions included election organizers on the list of social security beneficiaries.
He remarked that regional governments contribute funds for social security.
The KPU chairman ensured that his commission is making improvements and efforts to prevent the recurrence of the tragedy during the general elections in 2019, when more than 800 KPPS officers died.
He stated that based on research, the cases of deaths tended to be found in those aged above 50, and almost all officers who died have comorbidities.
"The study also showed that there are top three diseases (that caused the death cases), namely first, heart attack, second, high blood pressure, and then diabetes," he pointed out.
On Thursday, the KPU inaugurated 5,741,127 KPPS officers at 71,000 locations. After being inaugurated, the officers then participated in technical training for the elections regarding the technical matters of voting, among others.
Asy'ari explained that for this year's elections, all seven officers of each KPPS are given technical training. Meanwhile, in the previous elections, only one out of seven officers from each KPPS received training.
Indonesia will hold the general elections on February 14, in which around 204.8 million voters are expected to participate. The campaigning period for the elections started on November 28, 2023, and will end on February 10.
During the elections, Indonesians will choose a president and vice president, as well as members of the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) at the provincial, city, and district levels.
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Translator: Genta Tenri, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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