The Government Should Be Open To Receive Aid To Overcome COVID-19

President Joko Widodo (Instagram @Jokowi)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly in Indonesia and a number of other Southeast Asian countries. The number of positive patients with the corona virus continues to increase, in Indonesia alone there are even 172 people.

Support and coordination between neighboring countries is also very much needed to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission I from the PDI-P faction TB Hasanuddin, said the government must be open if there is assistance provided from foreign countries regarding the handling of the corona virus.

"If we think we are not enough, (the Indonesian government) is open to accepting donations," Hasan told VOI via text message, Wednesday, March 18.

For him, the threat of this virus is really in sight. So it is natural, if there are heads of state or state leaders working together and providing mutual assistance in the midst of the spread of the virus.

According to him, if there are other countries that want to make donations to Indonesia, the assistance needed is protective suits for paramedics and doctors to treat COVID-19 patients and medicines. On the other hand, added Hasan, Indonesia also desperately needs a better COVID-19 detection tool than the one currently used.

"(Indonesia needs) a detection tool to find out the corona virus which is faster. It is said that some only need a few minutes while those in Indonesia need two to three days," he said.

It is known, some time ago President Joko Widodo also stated that Indonesia had received assistance from Singapore. However, it is not clear what kind of assistance the lion country provides.

"Last week when I communicated by phone with PM Lee Singapore, Singapore wanted to help us a lot. I don't remember the number but it was quite a lot," said Jokowi in his statement delivered at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Monday, March 16. .

In its official statement, the Singapore government through the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed the provision of this assistance. Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore said PM Lee had a conversation with President Jokowi, on March 11.

From this conversation, the two countries agreed to work together against the threat of the COVID-19 virus.

"Singapore has been in close contact with Indonesian Ministries and institutions regarding the Covid-19 situation, including in the provision of medical equipment for Indonesia. The Singapore government has also provided personal protective equipment to the Batam Health Service at its request," said the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman as written on the page.

The protective equipment provided to the Batam Health Office is in the form of 50 hazmat suits and 2 breathing aids. The handover was carried out by the Singapore Consul-General (Konjen) in Batam, Mark Low and received by the Mayor of Batam, Muhammad Rudi.