For Reasons Of Avoiding Panic, The Palace Did Not Disclose Data On The Spread Of COVID-19

Discussion "Polemic" about COVID-19. (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has drawn criticism from various parties for not carrying out transparency by opening data on the spread of the corona virus or COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia. The government is considered to be covering up the truth about COVID-19.

Deputy IV for Political Communication and Information Dissemination at the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), Jury Ardiantoro emphasized that the government cannot be too 'vulgar' regarding COVID-19. This is not without reason, the data is not disclosed so as not to cause panic in the community.

"The government does not necessarily use terms or jargon or policies that can make the public even more panicked. So information disclosure must be measured, whether this openness will make the public more alert or will the reversal in society be even more panicked," he said in the discussion. Polemic, Hotel Ibis Tamarin, Central Jakarta, Saturday, March 14.

The jury said the government was doing two things related to information disclosure. First, convey that the government is serious about handling the COVID-19 case. Second, conveying that the public must be aware of the virus from Wuhan, China.

"Because the panic will have an impact on the emergence of counter-productive social actions and then disturb other aspects of social life," he said.

On the other hand, the jury confirmed that President Jokowi had ordered his staff to trace (tracing) the contacts with 69 positive COVID-19 patients (update as of Saturday, March 14, 96 were positive).

Moreover, Jokowi has also issued Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 7 of 2020 concerning the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-2019). The Task Force is led by Head of BNPB Doni Monardo.

"However, to openly disclose people's data is not possible," he explained.