Urge The Jokowi Government to Admit that Economy Becomes the Priority for COVID-19 Handling, Not Health

Presiden Jokowi (Twitter/@jokowi)

JAKARTA - The spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia continues to increase. On August 28, the data shows that the new positive cases reached 3,003 within 24 hours. Reflecting on this fact, the Ombudsman asked the government to acknowledge that the focus of COVID-19 handling is not on the health sector, but on overcoming economic risks.

Indonesian Ombudsman member, Alamsyah Saragih, said that the government must be open to the public that the economy becomes the priority for Jokowi and his aides when the risk of infection and death even increases.

"Tell the public. Whether you like it or not. You prioritize the economy with the risk of increased infection and death," he said in a discussion "Jakarta dan Dunia Memerah Lagi" by the Populi Center, Saturday, August 29.

Alamsyah saw that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the government seemed confused about choosing policy priorities. Whether to put safety and people's lives first, or economic and political matters.

"At that time, the government was faced with two choices that were difficult to communicate to the public. Do you want to save citizens from facing this COVID-19, and then handle their health? Pr Do you want to choose a policy of economic and political safety?" he said.

According to Alamsyah, the government chose to save the economy and politics. Therefore, people become victims of this policy. 

"The government tends to choose this policy, but not honest enough to say that because it is risky," he said.

For example, Alamsyah mentioned several government policies that make the safety of people's lives depend on each citizen.

"This can be seen from several things at the beginning. When they said, be careful, don't go to your home town (mudik). They give an incentive of IDR 600 thousand. People are allowed to mudik. Everyone knows that the spread of COVID-19 would happen," he explained. 

Besides, other policies do not support the people. Among others is the issue of Social Assistance (Bansos) distribution. Also, the realization of the budget for COVID-19 handling is still minimal. Even so, for the distribution scheme for Bansos, they still use the old pattern. So l, it is too late to reach the community and is not on target.

Meanwhile, regarding the problem of minimal budget absorption, the government looks stiff with old bureaucratic flows and inappropriate legal procedures.

"I see that this government budget is not on time. Our administrative scheme is complicated, and our legal perspective is left behind. In an emergency, people are still busy with legal instruments, forgetting to use a new scheme. The president doesn't carry out emergencies, does not put aside the criminal aspects. Fix the administration, if there are some mistakes, it's normal," he said.