Indonesia held nationwide regionalelections Wednesday with more than 100 million voters expected to cast aballot, despite warnings the poll would worsen the nation’s Covid-19 crisis, reports AFP.
The archipelago of nearly 270 million — the world’s third-biggestdemocracy and fourth most populous nation — delayed the vote originally setfor September as it struggled to contain soaring infection rates.
But the polls were rescheduled, even as critics warned over the risks amidwidespread violations of virus protocols, including mask-wearing and social distancing. “I’m scared many more people will be infected and die” after the polls,said SitiZuhro, a political analyst at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences.
Hundreds of hopefuls are vying for 270 positions, including regionalgovernors, district heads and mayors, including President JokoWidodo’seldest son. Voting was expected to wrap up around noon local time (05:00 GMT).
More than 100 million Indonesians are registered to vote in the pollstaffed by almost 2.7 million election workers, with some taking ballot boxesto hospitalised Covid patients.
At least five election candidates have reportedly died so far and morethan 1,000 election agency staff were infected ahead of voting day.
More than 580,000 Indonesians have been confirmed as having contracted theillness while the death toll stands at 18,000.But the true scale of the crisis is widely believed to be much bigger in acountry with one of the world’s lowest testing rates.
Infections could skyrocket above one million after polling day, warnedHermawanSaputra at the Indonesian Public Health Experts’ Association. “The most worrying thing is that it won’t be just young, healthy people casting their votes, but also the elderly, pregnant women and sick people —they’re all at high risk,” he said.
“The public service announcements and health protocols aren’t enough.Health is being trumped by political demands and that’s very concerning. It’snot worth it.”
In the midst of the pandemic, voters have also had little chance tointeract with candidates or understand their platforms, dealing a blow to ademocracy that rose from the ashes of the Suharto dictatorship two decadesago, analysts said.
Widodo’s son Gibran RakabumingRaka, 33, is running for mayor of Solo cityin Central Java, where his father, a former furniture seller better known asJokowi, started in politics.
Jokowi’s son-in-law is also vying for office, stirring questions aboutwhether Indonesia’s leader is trying to create a political dynasty more thana year into his second and final term.
Vice-president Ma’ruf Amin’s daughter and Defense minister PrabowoSubianto’s niece are also running for elected positions.
Meanwhile, Islamist parties are looking to score big gains in the world’sbiggest Muslim-majority nation as they ride a tide of rising religiousconservatism.
