UNAIR NEWS The Postgraduate School at 51动漫 (UNAIR) once again presented the Airlangga Forum via YouTube live streaming on Friday, February 16, 2024. In the discussion, the Postgraduate School collaborates with the Association of Local Public Broadcasting Institutions in East Java Province. The topic of discussion was the election, which frequently results in casualties, under the theme淒emocratic Party, No More Victims: Reflection on the Fall of 894 KPPS Officers in the 2019 Election.
Role of Polling Station Supervisor
The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) East Java representative Nur Elya Anggraini stated that the 2024 election did not undergo significant changes compared to the previous election. The supervision scheme, particularly the number of Polling Station (TPS) Supervisors remained the same between 2019 and 2024.
“The way elections work this time is pretty much like it was in 2019, with one Polling Station Supervisor per station, she said.
Themost difficult aspect of the election process occurs on D-Day. Members of the local poll administrators (KPPS) and TPS supervisors must be on standby from the day before until the polling stations are closed.
In a day, KPPS are required to conduct the election and tally the votes for the president, parties, and each candidate. This time, there are five ballot papers to count, which takes up a lot of time and energy.
淭o reduce the load on the KPPS, the General Elections Commission (KPU) has started producing parallel recap, she noted.
Weakening immunity among KPPS
From an immunological perspective, Prof. Dr. Theresia Indah Budhy Sulisetyawati drg M Kes Sp PMM(K), the Head of the Immunology Study Program, highlights that the working hours of KPPS members, which can reach 20 to 24 hours a day, are highly contradictory to immunological principles.
Sitting for more than three hours can disrupt blood flow, while the body requires a supply of nutrients. If nutritional demands are not met, the brain may not receive enough oxygen.
淭his condition can be dangerous as it causes shock, cold sweats, and dizziness, Prof. Theresia said.
Furthermore, maintaining the immune system requires a sufficient food supply. If the food is not nutritionally balanced, it might lead to a lack of potassium, sodium, and oxygen.
淎t least, the food should consist of complete essential nutrients such as meat, vegetables, and fruits, she said.
Causes of weak immunity in Election Committee
Nur Elya claimed that to maintain the immunity of the election committee, funds are allocated for KPPS members meals.
Another factor weakening the immunity of some KPPS members is their reliance on health certificates without undergoing thorough medical screenings.
淜PPS members in the regions are oftenelderly, due to the absence of a maximum age limit in the regulations, as well as a lack of health screening, she said.
To prevent casualties in the election, Bawaslu has proposed a revision to Law No. 7 of 2017 to the Commission II. The proposal aims to increase the minimum number of polling station supervisors to at least two supervisors. It allows supervisors to take turns resting while monitoring polling locations.
淗owever, our proposal has not been granted yet due to the government檚 budget constraints, she said.
Author: Lady Khairunnisa Adiyani
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
