Plt Walkot Surabaya Whisnu Sakti Protests Java-Bali PSBB, There Are 4 East Java Red Zones But No PSBB

Plt Mayor of Surabaya Whisnu Sakti Buana (IST)

SURABAYA - Even though they have not received a letter from the central government, the Surabaya City Government (Pemkot) held a coordination meeting with the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19 regarding tightening community activities.

Acting Mayor of Surabaya, Whisnu Sakti Buana, explained that the central government asked for limited tightening of community activities in East Java, namely Malang Raya and Surabaya Raya. Whisnu Sakti admitted that he objected because there had been a decrease in cases in Surabaya.

"Meanwhile, in the East Java region there are four regencies and cities where the PSBB is not implemented in the red zone. That was what I also protested," said Whisnu, Thursday, January 7.

He explained, if the tightening of community activities is carried out in East Java, then the whole regency / city in East Java must also implement it

However, if this regulation was only partial, Whisnu said that many patients from outside the city were transferred to areas whose conditions had improved but the PSBB was enforced.

"Moreover, seeing that our handling is good. We are so scared. We do not only see the handling of COVID-19, but there is a wider impact," he said.

The Surabaya City Government, continued Whisnu, had handled the pandemic well. The municipal government will optimize Kampung Tangguh Wani Jogo Suroboyo together with the National Police and the TNI in preventing COVID-19. Therefore, Surabaya will propose not to apply the PSBB.

"We also still have time to propose this matter to the center. The point is we will try our best for the City of Heroes," he explained.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Association of All Indonesian Hospitals (Persi) Hermin said that 50 percent of the situation in Surabaya was receiving referrals from outside the city. Handling of COVID-19 is helped by the existence of emergency hospitals such as Hajj Dormitory Hotels (HAH) and Field Hospitals in Indrapura.

"People without symptoms (OTG) are also accommodated there," he explained.

"That is to prevent queues so that there are not too many in the ER. If I saw it last week compared to now it has decreased," he said.