Mahfud MD: Don't Think COVID-19 Is Playing

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD invites religious scholars to be role models for the community to remind the community of the dangers of COVID-19.

This was conveyed by him while attending a gathering with scholars in the context of handling COVID-19 in Bangkalan Regency, East Java, Tuesday, June 15 yesterday.

"We see the fact that most of those who are taken to the hospital are already seriously ill, to prevent that, so that the ulama can socialize that the swab test is important to know and to prevent it," said Mahfud as quoted from his written statement, Wednesday, June 16.

So, he wants the example given by the ulama to be a local approach method. This is because the ulama or kiai are the role models that the community listens to and obeys.

Furthermore, the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) asked all parties not to think that COVID-19 was a joke. Mahfud warned that this increase in cases could occur quickly and this has already happened in other countries.

"Don't think that COVID is a game, look at examples of cases that have increased within 24 hours in India. Indonesia is also currently ranked 18th in the world and so far it has reached 1.9 million cases," he explained.

He said the government had also done a lot in efforts to deal with this pandemic. Including taking policies that began with discussions with scholars from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

"But our society, especially in Bangkalan, if religious leaders give an example and talk, they will definitely join," he said.

This activity was attended by Mahfud with the Deputy for Systems and Strategy of BNPB Raditya Jati, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawangsa, and Bangkalan Regent R. Abdul Latif Amin Imron. This gathering was attended by kiai from Bangkalan.

Meanwhile, in his remarks, Bangkalan Regent R. Abdul Latif said that currently many people do not want to go to the hospital after being tested positive for COVID-19. They just want to be taken after severe and most can not be helped.

This is what makes people don't want to go to the hospital because they think that instead of being healthy, they die.

"We need to ask the kiai to make people aware because most of them don't want to be swab. There are even three pesantren that want to be swab, one pesantren failed because all the students fled," he concluded.