In Fact, We Can't Completely Blame The Sarinah MCD Crowd

A visitor takes a selfie at MCD Sarinah (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - Sunday, May 10, people gathered at the yard of McDonald's (MCD) Sarinah. Nostalgia, they are. Authorities fear that the crowd will become a new cluster of COVID-19 transmission. No debate about worries. What's interesting is the crowd itself. Who are they? Just a drunken crowd of memories? Or maybe they are a picture of an important social situation and it is important to realize together.

Tino Pratomo crossed to Jalan MH Thamrin from his workplace in Tanah Abang after breaking the fast. He arrived at MCD Sarinah around 19.30 WIB. "It's already busy (the atmosphere of MCD Sarinah)," said Tino to VOI, Monday, May 11. He admitted that he deliberately attended the closing ceremony for the first MCD outlet in Indonesia for nostalgia. There is no food that he buys. "Close (distance). All. There are many memories there," he added.

Tino was not aware of the risk of transmitting the corona virus in large numbers that night. However, the urge to come to MCD Sarinah was too big to be contained, he said. The true impulse he also did not know where. "You know (transmission risk). But, how do you do it," said Tino.

Clinical psychologist, Puti Alam Intan explains the urge. In general, nostalgia is a condition based on emotional experiences. Nostalgia is able to unite a person with his identity. "Simply put, because of the past, I am the person I am today," said Puti.

Nostalgia triggers all kinds of things. In the context of MCD Sarinah, nostalgia was triggered by the closure of outlets. The existence of MCD Sarinah for 30 years has linked the place with the memories of many people. "So, the memory related to the place begins to emerge in the minds of individuals who have or are still attached to this place," said Puti.

Crowd at MCD Sarinah (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

In connection with the closing momentum described by Puti. Sociologist at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Tantan Hermansyah, explained that in a sociological perspective, the crowd at MCD Sarinah was a reaction to the outbreak of mass media reports about the closure of MCD Sarinah in recent days.

The exposure of the news triggers an impetus in society to engage in instant mass culture. "One of the indicators is the trend. They want to be part of the trend. And most of those who want to be on the trend flow, the rationality is different from most," said Tantan, contacted by VOI.

Reflections on social anxiety

In another perspective, the crowd of MCD Sarinah can be seen as a reflection of social anxiety about the uncertain conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nostalgia is a person's subconscious reaction to seek strength in dealing with current situations.

Nostalgia makes a person stronger to face the challenges that occur in the present. Psychologically, nostalgia can evoke feelings of warmth and comfort. On that basis, consciously unconscious, the impulse of nostalgia is stronger in this state of anxiety and uncertainty.

"Although sometimes there is an unpleasant feeling (in nostalgia) when the memory is not pleasant. Generally, nostalgia makes an individual feel stronger or a positive feeling arises because there is a sense of having made it through the previous day," said clinical psychologist, Puti Alam Intan.

"Yes, in the worst times, the urge to reminisce can increase. Because, with nostalgia, he can remember the good times he had," he added.

Living in obscurity

It is important to understand the reflection of the social anxiety that the MCD crowd portrays. Since the first case of COVID-19, the authorities who should have created calm have made the situation even more uncertain. Society is faced with many uncertainties.

Finally, the government claims that the number of COVID-19 has decreased since the implementation of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). Last week, Monday, May 4, Doni Monardo, Chair of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, stated that new cases of the spread of COVID-19 had fallen by eleven percent.

Many parties doubt this claim. Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit (EOCRU) researcher Iqbal Elyazar called the claim absurd. It is nothing. Since the first case of COVID-19 was announced, Indonesia has never presented an epidemic curve that matches the standard of epidemiology. "Because of that, the claims of a decrease in new Covid-19 cases are quite doubtful," he said, as written by Tempo.co, Friday, May 8.

Epidemiological curves are the standard visualization tool most widely used by authorities to describe either the growth rate or the slowing down of viral spread. Through this curve, the authorities can see the course of the pandemic, determine the source, and know when the transmission occurred.

In addition, curves are used to determine the peak of a pandemic or estimate the end of a pandemic. Hence, the epidemiological curve has direct implications for decisions taken, including evaluating the effectiveness of outbreak control measures. Without an epidemiological curve, any government claim is impossible.

There is a simple explanation for how the epidemiological curve works. Quoted by Theconversation.com, the curve works with two indicators: the Y axis (vertical) and the X axis (horizontal). The Y axis shows the number of new cases. Meanwhile, the X axis is an indicator that becomes the benchmark for analysis time related to the number of new cases. For example, the date the person was infected, the date the person started symptoms, or the date the person was examined.

If one hundred percent of people are infected in one day and all of them are checked, then the results of the examination are known on the same day, then the number of cases on that day is compared with the previous day. That comparison will later illustrate the true daily rate of infection. "If the daily infection rate is 0.5, it means that there is a 50 percent increase in new cases every day," said Iqbal.

However, according to records, until May 8, the government only displayed daily curves of cases. The government's version of the Y-axis describes the number of confirmed cases. Meanwhile, the X axis lists the date of reporting to the public. This is far from being the correct counting pattern. Additional confirmed cases differ from the number of new cases. In other words, the government curve is not an epidemic curve.

"The number of reported daily cases cannot explain the daily rate of infection on the previous day. In other words, the decrease in the daily number of cases cannot be read immediately as a decrease in the daily infection rate," he said.

This fact gave rise to new uneasiness. One thing that is desperately needed to answer certainties is precisely that the government does not have - if you don't want it to be said - not provided. Consciously unconscious, this uncertainty drives society to move out of control. Not only government control, but control of the rationality of society itself.

DKI Pemprov Rules?

Or talk about prosecution, for example. The weakness of authority is clearly a problem. A visitor named Alfred (26) said that there was no significant control from the authorities. Even though the distance between residents at several points seemed quite dense that night.

When the crowd happened last night, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government was helpless. According to Alfred's statement, Satpol PP officers only arrived at the location at around 23.00 WIB, even though the crowd had been going on since around 19.00 WIB. After that, a new dissolution was carried out.

"Please, to the residents, it is still PSBB. There should be no crowds. The crowd in front of McDonald's should immediately be disbanded," Alfred imitated Satpol PP's appeal.

Head of Satpol PP for DKI, Arifin, said that in fact there are regulations that could ensnare MCD Sarinah. However, the regulation in the form of a temporary suspension of operations could not be enforced because MCD Sarinah was already closed. "The business premises there have been closed, that's it," said Arifin when contacted, Monday, May 11.

In another aspect, the implementation of regulations by the DKI Provincial Government is somewhat hollow. DKI Jakarta Governor Regulation (Pergub) Number 41 of 2020, which is the legal basis for sanctions and enforcement of PSBB, has only been socialized today to the public. In fact, the Pergub has been in effect since 30 April.

Not a justification for a sloppy crowd. However, this point of view is important so that we stop judging each other. In this perspective, the science of psychology actually opposes the views of many netizens who condemn the crowd of MCD Sarinah.

In today's pandemic situation, nostalgia is very important. It is not only important as a romance from the past, but also as a power provider to face the tough days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Days of certainty are empty.