Overworked pregnant Muridah dies at South Aceh's polling station

Her physical condition kept deteriorating, and doctors at the public hospital took the decision to save her baby. However, they could not save the mother's life

Expectant mother Muridah, working at a polling station in Peulokan Village, Labuhan Haji Barat, South Aceh, Aceh, died of exhaustion owing to overwork, but local hospital doctors managed to save her baby, local authorities reported.

"She most probably died of exhaustion after having overworked for nearly 10 days as a polling station working committee member," spokesman of the Aceh Independent Elections Commission (KIP) Agusni AH remarked here on Saturday.

Muridah, who was eight months' pregnant, breathed her last at the Teuku Pekan Public Hospital on Saturday morning. The Aceh Independent Elections Commission conveyed its deepest and heartfelt condolences to her kin, he remarked.

Muridah fell sick several days before and was then moved to a health center in Labuhan Haji Barat Sub-district prior to her hospitalization at the Teuku Pekan Public Hospital for two days, he revealed.

"Her physical condition kept deteriorating, and doctors at the public hospital took the decision to save her baby. However, they could not save the mother's life," Agusni AH noted.

As of Friday, 230 working committee members of polling stations lost their lives due to exhaustion or meeting with traffic accidents amid their hectic work schedules, while 1,671 others fell ill, according to the General Elections Commission (KPU).

These people were in charge of manning different ballot booths across Indonesia's 25 provinces.

To add to these cases, no less than 33 Elections Supervisory Committee members and 15 policemen also lost their lives while tending to electoral duties.

Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto made the statement in connection with the deaths of several members of the polling station working committee, elections supervisory committee, and policemen while accomplishing election-related duties.

While lauding the peaceful implementation of the democratic process, Wiranto was aghast at the demise of members of the polling station working committee, elections supervisory committees, and security personnel during the electoral process.

While conversing with journalists after attending a coordinating ministerial meeting in Jakarta on Apr 24, he stated that the government sharply condemned the demise of those fulfilling electoral duties.

"They were all icons of democracy. Let us offer prayers for them," he stated.

Wiranto has appealed to all members of the community to commend their sacrifice and hard work by ensuring that a conducive and peaceful situation is maintained after the elections.