Jakarta (ANTARA) - The General Elections Commission (KPU) is preparing a policy innovation to prevent the recurrence of deaths of hundreds of officers of the Voting Organizing Team (KPPS) in the 2024 Election.
KPU member Idham Holik stated that the recruitment of prospective KPPS members was intended for people in the age bracket of 17 to 55 years. This also has to do with the body's endurance while carrying out its duties.
"In recruiting prospective KPPS members, we limit the age. We have an upper age threshold and a lower age threshold of 17 years to 55 years old, if it used to be 21 years old and not limited to the maximum age," Holik stated during an exclusive interview with Antara at Wisma Antara B, Cikini, Jakarta, Monday (Jan 29).
He said that based on research from the Ministry of Health and Gadjah Mada University (UGM), it was found that comorbid factors were the cause of the deaths of KPPS officers. Comorbidity occurs when a person has more than one disease or condition at the same time.
"These two studies found the same two findings. The factors causing work accidents, we call them work accidents. In this case, the death is due to comorbid factors,” he remarked.
According to Holik, the KPU requested that the recruitment process of KPPS officers prioritize young and competent people.
They must also bring along a certificate of health. In addition, before the polling day, health checks will be conducted on KPPS officers.
"And information from several regions will also provide supplements for immunity or resistance, because indeed, they work quite a long time, starting at 7 a.m. local time and potentially until midnight and even early morning," Holik explained.
In the 2019 Election, 894 election organizing officers were reported dead while 5,175 other officers had fallen sick. The triggering factors include quite heavy workload, fatigue, and comorbidity or comorbid diseases.
The findings of the KPU showed that most of the KPPS officers who died were over 50 years of age and had concomitant diseases.
According to research by the Ministry of Health, Universitas Gajah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta, and the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI), the three most common comorbid diseases suffered by KPPS officers in the 2019 Election were high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
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The KPU has received the registration of three candidate pairs, namely Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD, and Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
The election campaign period is set from November 28, 2023, to February 10, 2024, while voting is scheduled for February 14, 2024.
KPU strives to prevent recurrence of election officers' deaths
General Elections Commission (KPU) member Idham Holik during a special interview with ANTARA in Jakarta, Monday (January 29, 2024). (ANTARA/Narda Margaretha Sinambela)
