Despite Being Criticized, Anies Still Claims That Jakarta Is The Most Proactive In Reminding The Health Protocol

Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan (DOK.VOI / Diah Ayu W)

JAKARTA - The attitude of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government that does not prevent and disperse the crowd of followers of FPI leader Rizieq Shihab has received a lot of criticism, from the central government to epidemiologists.

However, DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan claims DKI Jakarta is the most proactive in reminding the health protocol rules compared to other regions, regardless of whether or not the call is obeyed.

"You can check which areas in Indonesia are sending letters, reminding them proactively if there is potential for collection," Anies said at the DPRD DKI building, Jalan Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, Monday, November 16.

Anies said the prosecution was carried out by imposing a sanction of Rp. 50 million from the Prophet Muhammad's birthday and the wedding ceremony that was held by Rizieq was right.

The DKI Provincial Government, said Anies, has carried out according to the provisions. These provisions are contained in the DKI Governor Regulation (Pergub) Number 79 of 2020 and DKI Governor Regulation Number 80 of 2020.

"When there is a violation of the health protocol, the violation will be dealt with as soon as possible. In less than 24 hours, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government enforces the rules. This means that those who violate must be dealt with," explained Anies.

"We can see it in various places, there are crowd activities, are they taking action? Jakarta chooses to take action," he continued.

For information, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD emphasized that his party had warned DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan from the start to remind the health protocol for COVID-19 prevention related to Rizieq Shihab's activities.

Starting from the activities of the Prophet's birthday as well as the marriage of the son of the High Priest of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab, Najwa Shihab which was held on Saturday, November 14 last week.

"The government regrets the violation of health protocols at the implementation of the wedding ceremony and the commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, where the government actually warned the Governor of DKI Jakarta to ask the organizers to comply with the health protocol," said Mahfud.

In addition, an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Syahrizal Syarif, views that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is not handling COVID-19 strictly and does not provide education to prevent the return of the crowd.

"If it does make education, then the implementation is firm. The crowd that occurs, whether it's the pick-up, or the Prophet's birthday, I see that the DKI Provincial Government is indecisive," Syarif told VOI.

If the handling of COVID-19 in DKI continues to run loosely when the pandemic is not under control, Syarif estimates that an even higher spike in cases will occur in the next one to two weeks. This is because DKI is the largest contributor to cases in Indonesia.