Moment of Truth

KOMPAS/SAIFUL RIJAL YUNUS

Poll workers, assisted by local residents, install a tent used as a polling station in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on December 8. Many people are worried about the risk of coronavirus in-fection, because the 2020 simultaneous regional elections are held during the COVID-19 pandemic

Wednesday, 9 December 2020, is an important day. The election for regional leaders will be held during the pandemic and coincides with the commemoration of World Anti-Corruption Day.

It is the first time for Indonesia to hold region head elections during a pandemic. Many have suggested that the elections, which are held in 270 regions, be postponed to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission. However, these suggestions were not heard. The government, the House of Representatives and the General Elections Commission (KPU) were adamant about holding the elections to uphold the right to vote and the right to be elected.

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The regional elections have become a political fact. We hope that the elections will be held with strict health protocols in place, so that they do not create new COVID-19 clusters. The gathering of more than 100 million voters in 270 separate regions around 333,223 polling stations (TPS) must not become COVID-19 transmission centers. We continue to warn of this, because human life is more important than the right to vote and be elected.

With positivity rates ranging from 14 to 18 percent, these elections are a cause for concern. We don’t want our democracy to turn into a humanitarian disaster. Wednesday, 9 December 2020, is the day that Indonesia will embark on a risky democratic experiment.

The elections in 9 provinces, 37 cities and 224 districts will also be a moment to refresh the mandate of local leadership. Coinciding with the commemoration of World Anti-Corruption Day, the election is the time to choose leaders who are really committed to eradicating corruption in this country.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Poll workers carry equipment for the regional elections to polling station (TPS) 036 in Bibis Kulon village of Gilingan subdistrict, Banjarsari, Surakarta, Central Java, on December 8. The regional election held to elect a new mayor and deputy mayor for Surakarta will be con-ducted in 1,231 polling stations across the city.

Corruption is a chronic disease of this nation. The term corruption comes from the Latin word for “decay”. Not only is corruption detrimental to the state, but it also damages the country, allows it to rot and destroys the ethics of living in harmony.

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Data from the Kompas Research and Development Department (Litbang) show that 45 percent of regional head candidates have a business background, 38 percent are bureaucrats and 17 percent are members of legislatures. Based on data from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), as many as 82 region head candidates are financed by dealers. These are factors that hinder a corruption-free Indonesia.

This MPR decree should serve as a guide on how to elect regional leaders who are free from corruption, collusion and nepotism.

We note that Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) Decree No. XI/MPR/1998 concerning state administrators that are clean and free of corruption, collusion and nepotism is a moral guide for the nation. This MPR decree should serve as a guide on how to elect regional leaders who are free from corruption, collusion and nepotism.

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This nation appears to have been slacking in its fight against corruption. The KPK, which seems to have been suspended for almost a year, rediscovered its purpose through the arrests of two ministers recently. We express our appreciation to the KPK, an institution that has found its way back.

We hope that these region head elections, which are riskily held amid the pandemic, will be seized as an opportunity to birth leaders who have firm anti-corruption commitments, rather than leaders who favor only the elite once they have attained their positions. If that happens, our democracy will only turn into a disaster.