Luhut: Almost No Country Is As Clever As We Are In Handling COVID-19

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan claims that the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia is not inferior to other countries.

In fact, Luhut said that to his knowledge, almost no country has handled the pandemic as efficiently as Indonesia.

"There is almost nothing, that I know of, in the world now (countries) that are as patient as we are in handling COVID-19," Luhut said in a virtual press conference, Monday, January 3.

Luhut revealed that the government handled the pandemic in an integrated, integrated, holistic manner, accompanied by intensive meetings held from the highest leadership to the bottom.

That's why, he said, what keeps the COVID-19 cases in Indonesia under control even though the Omicron variant has spread to local transmission at this time.

Luhut also claimed that the compliance of the Indonesian people in using masks was better than in other countries.

"Why are we better than many other countries, such as India, which is currently experiencing Omicron. I want to convey, from our observations, we are more disciplined in wearing masks than in the United States or in Britain, or anywhere else," he said.

Luhut explained that the key to controlling transmission of the Omicron variant is the issue of discipline in implementing health protocols, including compliance with the use of masks.

"The key for us to see Omicron develop in any world is a matter of discipline. The discipline of wearing masks, the discipline of vaccines, the discipline of washing hands, and so on. So, the keyword is discipline," said Luhut.

"So, we are still not arrogant, not arrogant, but I want to say we have made the best. People can learn from us maybe see how we handle," he continued.