Meeting Of Political Elite Insensitive To Corona Situation

JAKARTA - General Chairman of the Golkar Party, Airlangga Hartarto, who also serves as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, continues to lead lobbies related to the Omnibus Law Bill to a number of parties. Airlangga and his staff also met with the Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan to discuss this matter.

Unfortunately the meeting that was held at the Golkar DPP Office, on Thursday night, only discussed the issue of inter-party relations and political stability ahead of the 2020 Pilkada. It is not implied by the expressions on the faces of these two big politicians, discussing social issues and the problem of the corona virus which is now worried by the Indonesian people.

"Regarding the national agenda proposed by the government, in this case Mr. Jokowi to encourage the Omnibus Law on Taxation and Job Creation. We agree that this will be discussed immediately and of course we are looking for the best solution so that it can be resolved in the not too long time," Airlangga told reporters at Golkar DPP office.

The political safari carried out by Airlangga is considered less ethical, given the current situation of the corona virus in Indonesia. Where there have been 34 positive patients with COVID-19 with one foreigner who was declared dead due to the disease.

Executive Director of Indonesia Political Review, Ujang Komarudin also criticized Airlangga's political lobbying agenda. According to him, the discussants of the Work Creation and Taxation Omnibus Law Bill could first be postponed until the situation was more conducive.

"Actually, the Omnibus Law lobbying will be stopped first. Because this nation is facing a corona outbreak," Ujang said in a short message to VOI, Friday, March 13.

He saw that these politicians were showing bad character by completely ignoring people's concerns about the corona virus. Whereas party officials and presidential assistants such as Airlangga should be able to focus on helping the community and alleviating their current worries.

"So it is unethical, if they are on political safari. Meanwhile, many people are infected. Some even die. They should show empathy for the people to help residents who panic because of the corona virus outbreak," said this political observer.

A character that seems to be selfish and that of his group even though there are other urgent things that must be done, said Ujang, could not change because it is a common practice of politicians.

He also did not deny that this political safari led by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy who also doubles as the General Chair of the Golkar Party will affect the image of President Joko Widodo's government. Because, it is not impossible that the public will judge these ministers to be insensitive to the conditions of those who are currently worried about the spread of COVID-19.

It should be noted that several ministers in the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet are filled with party people. Besides Airlangga, the Minister of Communication and Information, Johnny G Plate, is also the Secretary General of the NasDem Party, then the Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party.

"The public will judge that the elites only want to be happy and win by themselves. The people are then left alone," concluded Ujang.