DPR Asked The Chief Of Police To Not Rashly Involve Jeger In Handling COVID-19

Illustration of checking COVID-19 on the Puncak route (Bogor Regency Government)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission III DPR RI Didik regretted the steps taken by the National Police Chief that would involve market thugs or jeger in handling COVID-19. According to him, this move would create new problems. Therefore, he asked not to be careless in making decisions about this matter.

"I appreciate the spirit, commitment and steps of the National Police Chief in responding and dealing with the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 to date, but the enthusiasm and steps will cause new and counter-productive problems if one takes policies, including legitimizing the presence of jeger or market thugs," he said, in Jakarta, Sunday, September 13.

The chairman of the DPP Democratic Party, the Department of Law and Human Rights Law asked the Chief of Police to carefully recalculate the impacts and excesses, including the psychological excesses for society and the public at large.

Didik said that the National Police Chief did not need to frighten the public with the presence of informal groups, let alone jeger or thugs to suppress and make people uncomfortable.

"With the assumption that the National Police Chief will give legitimacy because of their planned involvement in handling COVID-19, of course this will also be considered as recognition and strengthening of the activities of these jegers," he said.

Didik hopes that the Chief of Police will remain objective, rational and always measurable in taking steps and policies to serve and protect the community. The National Police Chief must also understand and master the real map of the spread of COVID-19, update every behavior and psychology of the community during the pandemic, the behavior of government officials, our current leaders.

Furthermore, Didik said, people's behavior would be largely determined by the behavior of their leaders. Therefore, the behavior of state leaders must set a good example.

"The readiness of the Police and its human resources are quite advanced and reliable at this time, I hope that the Chief of Police has the confidence and at the same time believes that the officers under him are more than capable of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no need to involve, let alone potentially legitimize the existence of jeger," he said.

Previously, Deputy Chief Executive II of the Committee for Handling Covid-19 and National Economic Recovery, Commissioner General Gatot Eddy Pramono said the authorities would involve market thugs or jeger to oversee the discipline of citizens in implementing health protocols, including the use of masks.

This three-star police general said the involvement of market thugs was to intensify the prevention of the emergence of market clusters amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, Gatot said, justisi operations were being held to improve public discipline in implementing health protocols. This justice operation will involve ranks from the Police, TNI, Satpol PP to the Attorney General's Office.

In addition, Gatot said, his party is also coordinating with local governments to map clusters classified as vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19, such as in markets, offices and settlements.