Doni Monardo: Don't Hesitate To Reprimand When There Is A Crowd

JAKARTA - Chairperson of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19 Doni Monardo asked the public not to hesitate to reprimand others if there is a crowd in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is because the spread of this virus can be avoided if the public is disciplined to apply health protocols including physical distancing or maintaining distance.

"If there is a crowd, one of them dares to appear as a patriot, reminding the others to immediately keep their distance, not close together," Doni said in a virtual press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube account, Wednesday, May 20.

"It must be done anywhere. In various places, whether at the airport. Anywhere. We hope that among the people there will be those who dare to remind them," added the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Collective community discipline, he said, needed to be done. Moreover, this pandemic is not certain when it will end.

In addition, the government is currently asking the public to be able to make peace with COVID-19 by complying with strict health protocols. So, even though this virus exists, people can stay healthy and people will be able to carry out their activities without fear of contracting it.

"If we want to be successful in facing this pandemic, we as a nation must study hard to understand how this virus is," he said.

Previously, although the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia continued to increase, the public seemed to ignore health protocols primarily to maintain distance. This is proven by the circulation of a number of shopping center videos that were attacked by the public.

Ciledug CBD Mall, Tangerang City, was attacked by visitors without applying physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to the closure of the shopping center.

Video footage circulating shows a crowd of people lining up to enter the CBD Ciledug mall. In addition, the people in the crowd stood close to each other without maintaining a distance, even though they were seen wearing masks.

Kapolsek Ciledug Police Commissioner Ali Yusron said his party together with the TNI and the city government (city government) immediately followed up with a warning.

In fact, the manager was asked to close the shopping center. "Today together with related institutions have temporarily closed the shopping center," Ali told VOI, Tuesday, May 19.

The closure by Satpol PP of Tangerang City was because the management did not apply physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, there is the potential for virus transmission. "In order to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic," said Ali.

Head of Public Relations Division of the National Police, Kombes Ahmad Ramadhan, said that if there is a crowd in the shopping center, the management is responsible for everything that happens.

The management must implement all protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, if they do not implement it, the site manager can be sanctioned according to the policies issued by the respective regional heads.

"The first to take responsibility is the shopping manager by implementing a protocol for preventing the spread of COVID-19, such as implementing physical distancing, screening body temperature and providing a place to wash hands or hand sanistizers," said Ahmad.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said, the police have the authority to take precautions or take action if the crowd has spilled onto the road. Action is carried out by asking the community to return to their respective homes or arranging queues.

"The actions of the police and other stakeholders could order people to return to their homes or impose a queuing pattern in accordance with the PSBB rules, namely physical distancing," Ahmad concluded.