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s the election year has just begun, regional leader hopefuls in Greater Jakarta regions have started to prepare for the election’s requirements, one of which is undergoing a medical checkup.

Pair Arief R. Wirmansyah-Sachrudin, the sole mayoral candidate as well as the incumbent Tangerang mayor and deputy mayor, underwent the medical check at Tangerang Regional General Hospital on Friday.

The visit lasted for hours, from around 7 a.m. until the afternoon.

After getting their physical health checked, the one and only pair supported by all 12 political parties in Tangerang, Banten, is set to undergo a psychological evaluation on Saturday, followed by a drug test to ensure the pair is free from illegal substances.

In Bekasi, two pairs of mayoral candidates in West Java, namely incumbent Rahmat Effendi-Tri Adhianto Tjahyono and Nur Supriyanto-Adhy Firdaus Saady, visited Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital in Central Jakarta, also on Friday, to have similar examinations. In total, the various medical checks would last until Saturday.

Both pairs registered their participation in the Bekasi regional election on Wednesday night.

The incumbent pair is supported by Golkar, the Democratic Party (PD), NasDem, Hanura, the United Indonesia Party (Perindo), the United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), while another pair is supported by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Gerindra.

The PDI-P previously planned to support another pair of hopefuls, Sumiyati Mochtar Mohammad-Lilik Hariyoso, but failed because mayoral candidate Sumiyati was not ready for the election. Sumiyati, a West Java councillor and wife of corruption suspect Mochtar Mohammad, did not appear at the Bekasi General Election Commission’s (KPU) office on Wednesday, the time of candidate registration.

Meanwhile, three pairs of Bogor mayoral candidates, incumbent Bima Arya-Dedie A. Rachim, Edgar Suratman-Syefwelly Gynanjar Djoyodiningrat and Achmad Ru’yat-Zaenul Mutaqin, had undergone the medical checkup at Mintohardjo Navy Hospital in Central Jakarta on Thursday.

Another pair, Danang Danubrata-Sugeng Teguh Santoso, failed to undergo the medical examination together with other pairs, as Sugeng, a lawyer, was out of town that time.

The three candidate pairs showed up together for the first time in public that day. The pairs gathered first at the KPU Bogor in West Java on Thursday morning before sharing a bus to the hospital for the checkup. The first meeting was filled with laughter and friendly conversation.

The Bima-Dedie pair is supported by Golkar, NasDem, the PD, the National Mandate Party (PAN), Hanura, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and Perindo, while pair Achmad-Zaenul is supported by Gerindra, the PKS and the PPP. Support from the PDI-P and the PKB went to Dadang-Sugeng. Unlike other pairs who entered the race with support from political parties, Edgar-Syefwelly decided to compete independently.

The simultaneous regional elections are slated for June 27.

Muhammad Mihradi, a sociopolitical expert from Pakuan University in Bogor, said the sociopolitical condition in the region was currently quite conducive and dynamic. He added that incumbent Mayor Bima Arya could be a tough competitor in the election.

“We hope the upcoming regional election in Bogor will remain on the right path […], the candidates will not violate any rules and the people will be mature in politics and respect others’ choices,” Mihradi said.