New Normal Narrative Judged By Unclear Forms Of Government Facing COVID-19

JAKARTA - The government has repeatedly asked people to live side by side with COVID-19 or live in the pattern of The New Normal. However, this statement is considered confusing to the public and is seen as a reflection of unclear steps in handling this pandemic.

"(This is, red) a reflection of the unclear steps in handling the corona," said Member of the DPR RI from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Faction Mardani Ali Sera, Sunday, May 17.

According to the Chairman of the DPP PKS, the discourse of the central government has confused the public. Where the local government is incessantly fighting back, the central government is the same.

"The discourse of the new normal in the midst of society and local governments that are struggling against COVID-19 is confusing," he said.

He said that the central government should provide support for what local governments are doing, it does not appear otherwise. For example, the ban on going home by the central government, but recently relaxed, even though there are relaxed criteria for traveling.

Where that looseness actually makes a mess. How could I not, just look, some time ago Soekarno-Hatta Airport was filled with people who claimed to be assigned to various regions in Indonesia and when queuing they ignored the physical distancing recommendations regulated in the health protocol.

"Stop the effort that is bothersome and burdensome to the local government and the community," he said.

Meanwhile, Sociologist at the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah, Tantan Hermansyah, said that this new normal would be difficult for anyone to understand without exception because there were no standard rules.

"New normal has no standard rules. This is related to changing the paradigm of life. Maybe it doesn't need to be understood either. Just live it. Later we will find the answer," said Tantan.

He also considered that the new normal is a new condition that must be accepted at this time. Because, in fact, today's society simply cannot sustain the old situation.

"New normal was caused by anomalous conditions in everyday life. Such anomalous conditions can be like wearing a mask, not shaking hands, etc. We thought this was an anomaly, but then we have to accept it gracefully," said the sociologist. this.

Tantan sees that currently, the government is indeed inviting the public to enter into this situation. A situation where it cannot be faced as usual due to the pandemic has now finally accepted whatever the situation and condition is.

It's just that, even though we have to accept it gracefully, there are several things that can actually be assessed from the government's statement regarding the new normal.

First, said Tantan, the government could now prepare a new, much more strategic scenario for managing a pandemic event in order to benefit development in Indonesia.

Second, the government may be using the pandemic to carry out large-scale social change. Because, this change will involve changes in systems, life arrangements, and even new paradigms.

Finally, although it has been denied by the government, Tantan believes that the current government has run out of ways to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the last option is to invite people to come to terms with the situation.

"The government has run out of ways to manage this pandemic. So the last way is to accept it," he concluded.

In his official statement, President Joko Widodo reminded the public to live side by side with the corona virus to remain productive. Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the virus would not go away even though the positive case curve decreased.

However, he denied that the recommendation to coexist with COVID-19 was a sign that Indonesia had given up fighting this virus. This is because resistance through the application of health protocols is still in effect and the government will gradually regulate people's lives to return to normal.

"Our lives have definitely changed to overcome the risk of this outbreak. That is a necessity. That is what many people call the new normal," Jokowi said in his official statement on Friday, May 15.

Furthermore, the narrative of The New Normal was again conveyed by the Spokesperson for Handling COVID-19 Achmad Yurianto. When conveying the development of the COVID-19 case in Indonesia, Yurianto touched on the new way of life as conveyed by President Jokowi.

Initially, Yurianto touched on the health protocol that all parties must comply with. Because, this protocol will be able to free all parties from the corona virus. Moreover, WHO stated that COVID-19 would not disappear easily and quickly.

"So we still have to have an attitude, have a way of thinking that refers to health protocols in the future. This is what we then live as a new normal. The only way we can be productive and safe with COVID-19 is to live side by side," said Yuri. in a press conference broadcast on the BNPB YouTube account, Sunday, May 17.

He reiterated that living side by side does not mean giving up on the conditions of the spread of this virus but changing according to the existing situation.