Sri Mulyani Appeal And Enthusiasm For Shopping Residents During COVID-19
JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati was dragged along regarding the large number of visitors at Tanah Abang Market, Jakarta. Sri Mulyani was also 'dragged away' because she urged the public to shop for Eid clothes.
Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani has indeed invited the public to carry out shopping activities ahead of Eid Al-Fitr 2021 so that economic activities can continue. According to her, THR (Holiday Allowance) recipients can send it to their parents or relatives in their place of origin.
The community, she said, could still go to the mall but still had to maintain health protocols. In addition, people can still cook Eid dishes even though they don't gather, the food can be sent to relatives.
"Keep buying new clothes, so that even if you use Zoom (application) you can still wear new clothes. So that (economic) activity will emerge in the community", said Sri Mulyani.
Sri Mulyani Indrawati hopes that Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr 2021 can create job opportunities and support the economy. "This is what we hope to happen in the second and third quarters, namely that the public will move relatively normally. However, they will maintain health protocols", said the Minister of Finance.
However, the Minister of Finance's invitation backfired because it triggered excessive enthusiasm from the community to the explosion of the Tanah Abang Market. The situation was immediately attacked by several groups.
PKS politician Mardani Ali Sera views that the invitation for shopping activities during the COVID-19 pandemic that was conveyed by the government will only trigger the crowd.
"An invitation to shop by the government can create new crowds everywhere. Is that right?", wrote Mardani Ali Sera, in his personal Twitter account.
Gerindra politician Fadli Zon also mentioned Sri Mulyani's invitation to shop. "There is a minister who appeals to the public to shop, including new clothes. People are shopping in markets and malls until crowds arise. Some disperse the crowd. #sirkusnegeribingung", said Fadli Zon on his Twitter account.
There is a minister who appeals the public to shop, including new clothes. People are shopping in markets and malls until crowds arise. Some disperse the crowd. #sirkusnegeribingung
- FADLI ZON (Youtube: Fadli Zon Official) (@fadlizon) May 2, 2021
Responding to the satire, PPP politician Achmad Baidowi considered it too much if the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani was blamed for the invitation to shop which resulted in a crowd in the largest wholesale center in Southeast Asia.
"Don't make associations. Too compulsive to relate the assumptions that are built", said Baidowi, Monday, March 3.
According to the Secretary of the PPP faction of the House of Representatives, the public should be wiser in absorbing Sri Mulyani's statements. One of them is by shopping online for Eid al-Fitr needs.
"You don't have to buy Eid clothes offline. Can be done online. So that moving the people's economy does not necessarily mean face-to-face shopping", Awiek explained.
Moreover, the member of Commission VI of the House of Representatives assessed that there is no problem if you have to shop directly at the market as long as you adhere to health protocols.
"This is more on the supervision of the apparatus in the field who has not been maximized and does not anticipate an overcrowding of people", said the East Java legislator.
Enthusiasm for Shopping during COVID-19 in Tanah Abang Market
An epidemiologist from Griffith University Australia, Dicky Budiman also regretted the crowd at Tanah Abang Market, Central Jakarta. He said the public should remain vigilant about the transmission of COVID-19.
He even said that people who are crowded there could not only get Eid clothes but also be exposed to the COVID-19 virus. Moreover, in a viral video, people are in one area in the room and do not comply with health protocols.
"Yes, this could be that the Eid clothes shopping for Eid clothes but also the COVID-19 virus can also be taken home", said Dicky when talking to VOI, Sunday, May 2.
Cultural observer Tisna Sanjaya also assessed that the enthusiasm of the people who crowded the Tanah Abang wholesale market is very vulnerable to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the belief that they are safe and have vaccinated, they are willing to jostle to fulfill their longing for shopping to welcome the missed holidays in 2020.
"In my opinion, the current situation is still very prone to doing things that are euphoric, breaking out of the rules to work from home, maintaining health protocols, wearing masks, even though they have been vaccinated, then carelessly enter the mall or market, like the case in Jakarta (Tanah Abang, red)", said Tisna to VOI, Monday, May 3.
He said the situation was very risky following India's footsteps, which experienced a spike in cases in the second wave of COVID-19. "This is very dangerous, there is an example in India. If this second wave occurs it will be very dangerous and the impact will not only be for individuals but also this country.