"For areas that are difficult to reach, for example, due to bad weather, we will use helicopters to transport the election logistics," Chair of Asmat KPU, Aloysia Hahare, stated on Saturday.
Her side, along with other agencies, mapped several remote areas that are difficult to access by means of land and sea transportation, including the sub-districts of Korowai Buluanop, Suru-Suru, and Kolfbrasa.
Specifically for Suru-Suru, the KPU has started distributing logistics on Saturday morning from the Ferry Pier that is estimated to arrive in two days.
Hahare stated that helicopters will be the last resort used if the conditions are unconducive for river or sea transportation.
"Renting a plane or helicopter will be our last option for the logistics distribution," she remarked.
The KPU, along with the South Papua government, held a coordination meeting regarding the possibility of using air transportation. Currently, the relevant parties have prepared two helicopters belonging to the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and the South Papua Provincial Government.
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Hahare stated that the two helicopters were always on standby for several important and urgent events, including the election.
However, reflecting on the earlier elections, the Asmat KPU has never used helicopters to distribute logistics.
Hahare is targeting logistics distribution to be completed on Sunday. She remarked that the furthest and outermost sub-districts are Safan and Kopay that directly border Mappi District, South Papua Province. To get to these two points, officers must pass through Arafura Sea.
The Indonesian KPU has determined three presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs for the 2024 election, namely Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar with official number 1, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka with official number 2, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD with official number 3.
The KPU has set the campaigning period from November 28, 2023, to February 10, 2024, followed by a quiet period on February 11-13. Voting will take place on February 14.
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Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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