Dozens of workers and police died from fatigue during Indonesia election, official says
- Fatigue said to be the main cause and was also blamed for hundred of workers becoming sick
- Election chief Viryan Aziz suggested separating presidential and legislative polls to prevent such deaths from occurring again
More than 130 polling station workers and police officers across Indonesia have died, mostly from fatigue, while hundreds of others became ill before, during and after last week’s general election, an election official said on Tuesday.
Viryan Aziz, head of the General Election Commission, said that at least 119 polling station workers, mostly temporary volunteers over 40 years old, reportedly died, while 548 others fell sick.
Most were fatigue-related cases, Viryan said, adding that the workload before, during and after the April 17 elections, in which presidential and legislative polling was conducted simultaneously, was much more arduous than in previous elections.
National Police Spokesman Dedi Prasetyo, meanwhile, said at least 15 policemen died, many in accidents.
Geographical conditions forced police officers and polling station workers to carry ballot papers and boxes by various means, including by horse and canoe, and passing through jungles, rivers and mountains.