The violations, which included failures to follow social distancing and mask-wearing rules and gatherings of more than 50 people, were in violation of a General Elections Commission (KPU) regulation that seeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

From the start of the campaign season on Sept. 26 to Nov. 15, Bawaslu shut down 158 in-person campaign events because candidates or campaign teams continued to violate health protocols after the agency had issued warnings.

“We dispersed those events with the help of public order agencies [Satpol PP] and the police. There were also moments when campaign organizers themselves shut down campaign events after being warned by Bawaslu officers,” Bawaslu member M. Afifuddin said recently.

According to a KPU regulation, candidates and their campaign teams are prohibited from holding events that are likely to attract crowds, such as mass rallies, concerts, markets and performances. Candidates must instead use online platforms to reach voters and may host face-to-face rallies indoors only when online campaigning is impossible. The events must follow strict health protocols and have no more than 50 attendees.

Bawaslu may order crowds to disperse or forcibly shut down campaign activities in violation of social distancing rules if campaign teams or crowds ignore the agency’s orders. Bawaslu may report repeat offenders to the KPU and recommend that it issue warnings for candidates, political party members and campaign teams who fail to ensure that events follow health rules. Critics have said this measure is too lenient.

But dispersing crowds has proven difficult for the supervisory body. Afifuddin said some officials had been threatened while attempting to do so.

Afifuddin cited an incident in Banyuwangi, East Java, where an election supervisor was verbally intimidated by a group of attendees as she attempted to disperse a crowd that had gathered for an outdoor concert allegedly sponsored by a candidate running for Banyuwangi regent.

Bawaslu has recorded 31 instances of intimidation of election supervisors this campaign season. Most – but not all – were related to crowd dispersal.

“We strongly advise candidates and campaign teams to comply with health protocols until the end of the campaign period on Dec. 5, especially if they have to host face-to-face events,” Afifuddin said.

Before campaigning started, Bawaslu had found that 243 prospective candidates had ignored health rules by bringing large entourages to register their candidacies at regional KPU offices in early September. One such registration occurred in Surakarta, Central Java, when President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was accompanied by a group of supporters to register his candidacy for Surakarta mayor at the local KPU office.

Bawaslu member Fritz Edward Siregar told The Jakarta Post that the agency had reprimanded Gibran on Sept. 6, two days after he registered his candidacy.

Gibran said he was prepared to receive further warnings from Bawaslu if he was guilty of violating health regulations during the registration, according to kompas.com.