DKI Provincial Government Revokes Requests For COVID-19 Assistance To Foreign Embassies

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov) has revoked a letter requesting assistance from a number of facilities in handling COVID-19 to embassies of other countries.

The letter dated July 1, 2021, asks the embassy to ignore the previous letter dated June 28, 2021, which requested assistance from various embassies for the isolation of COVID-19 patients without symptoms and mild symptoms at the Nagrak Cilincing Flats and hospitals (RS).

The letter containing the request for assistance for the COVID-19 patient isolation facility has been withdrawn. "We hereby withdraw the letter and ask you to ignore it," the letter said in English obtained by journalists in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Saturday, July 3.

The letter also conveyed an apology from the DKI Provincial Government for the inconvenience to the embassies of friendly countries due to the letter requesting assistance for COVID-19 facilities.

The letter was addressed to the embassies with copies to the Governor of DKI Jakarta, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director General of America and Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director General of Asia Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director General of Protocol and Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Although there is no signature of the Head of the DKI Jakarta Regional Cooperation Bureau Andhika Permata and a stamp, at the foot of the letter it is stated that the letter has complied with the provisions of the applicable laws and regulations.

Because this document has been signed electronically using an electronic certificate issued by the Electronic Certification Center (BSE) of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), no signature and wet stamp are required.

However, until this news was published, the reason for this letter was not known. Andhika Permata and other officials at the DKI Jakarta Regional Cooperation Bureau did not respond to telephone calls and short messages sent by ANTARA for confirmation.

Previously, a letter allegedly circulated under the heading of the Regional Secretariat of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government's Regional Cooperation Bureau on social media regarding a request for assistance for a number of facilities for the location of self-isolation for COVID-19 patients at the Nagrak Flat, Cilincing, North Jakarta.

The letter addressed to ambassadors of foreign countries is dated June 28, 2021 and signed by the Head of the Regional Cooperation Bureau of the DKI Provincial Government, Andhika Permata.

The letter listed a number of items that needed to be fulfilled, including five thousand beds each, a small folding table, a bucket, a broom, a standing fan and so on. There is also a need for 500 water dispensers, eight computers, five printers and two laptops.

The letter also includes items needed to maximize the isolation room at the DKI Regional General Hospital (RSUD), such as 30 ventilator units, 20 multi-purpose tents, 300 mattresses and a number of other items.

At the end of the letter, it is stated that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is very open if the embassy intends to contribute to the fulfillment of these goods.