If Indonesia Implements A Lockdown At The Beginning Of COVID-19, Jokowi: My Count, 2-3 People Weeks Must Be Rusuh

Photo: BPMI Setpres/Muchlis Jr

JAKARTA - Indonesia could have been hit by riots if the government at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic implemented a comprehensive regional quarantine policy or lockdown.

President Jokowi admitted that he had carried out a calculation, if the lockdown was implemented within 2-3 weeks, the public would be completely closed the opportunity to earn a living.

This was conveyed by the President when opening the National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) for the COVID-19 Handling Transition and National Economic Recovery (PC-PEN). "Try to decide at that time, for example, we decided to lock down. Count me in two or three weeks, the people can't, they don't have a small chance to make a living. Everything is closed, the state can't provide assistance to the people, what's going on? The people must be rioting," said Jokowi at the AA Maramis Building, Ministry of Finance complex, Jakarta, Thursday, January 26, as reported by Antara.

The President admitted that the potential for unrest due to pressure from the situation was one of the considerations for himself and the government officials whether to implement a lockdown for the pattern of handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I have three days to decide what this is, whether we should lockdown or not," said Jokowi jokingly.

The Head of State also said that in fact the majority of ministers of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic suggested implementing a lockdown.

This attitude can be understood by President Jokowi based on the trend of anticipating the COVID-19 pandemic in several other countries.

"When deciding whether to lock down or not, the ministerial meeting was 80 percent (said) 'Sir lockdown', because all countries did that," he said.

Furthermore, the attitude of requesting a lockdown was also shown by legislators in the DPR RI as well as voices in the ranks of political parties.

The President said such pressure was accompanied by a crisis threat that could potentially lead to a decision maker making a mistake in making policies.

However, the President actually appreciated that the majority of Indonesian government officials, from the center to the village level, all of them carried out effective macro to micro management to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The macro and micro management that we are doing is really very effective, and I see that all of us are working because we are depressed by problems, depressed by problems. Everything is working," he said.

Also present at the opening of the PC-PEN Transition Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Government Mahfud MD, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, and Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono.