The General Elections Commission in Indonesia has initiated a set of rules that will guide online campaigns as the country prepares for its December regional elections, in which 270 regional heads – nine provinces, 224 regencies, and 37 cities – will be elected.
This move came after Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo urged all parties to prioritise the health and safety of voters and polling station officers in the upcoming elections. “Health protocols should be implemented in every stage of the regional elections. We should have elections that are safe from Covid-19,” he said in a speech.
The electoral body in Indonesia had previously advised candidates to move their campaigns to online platforms and adopt teleconferencing and social media campaigns as a way of reducing physical gatherings, to curb the spread of COVID-19. The regulation allows for physical campaigns in low-to-zero risk areas and a limited number of people but this has been contested by the head of the electoral commission Dewa Kadi.
What Are The New Indonesia Regulations?
- Campaigns are slated to run for 71 days, starting from the 26th of September, 2020.
- Candidates will be prohibited from campaigning on their personal social media accounts. Hence, new accounts for the sole purpose of their candidacy must be created.
- Candidates are required to delete all social media posts related to their campaign activities or candidature after the campaign period is over on December 5.
These draft regulations are to serve as guidelines and code of ethics or candidates to adhere to. While these regulations are important for public health and safety measures, many have suggested that it makes room for government authorities to interfere in the electioneering process.
Experts also fear that despite these measures, citizen turnout could be low due to fears of contracting the coronavirus. The country currently has about 181,000 infections, 130,000 recoveries and over 7000 deaths.
