Faisal Basri: Java Island Needs To Be Lockdown

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The corona virus pandemic or COVID-19 in Indonesia is increasingly widespread. Within one month after the announcement of the discovery of positive cases in Indonesia, the number of cases continued to increase.

The government is considered to have implemented a limited area quarantine or lockdown. The positive impact is not only on the health of citizens but also on the national economy.

Senior economist Faisal Basri said, with the implementation of a lockdown by the government as an effort to deal with COVID-19, Indonesia's economic recovery could also occur quickly.

Faisal said, it is unimaginable to the impact on economic growth if the lockdown is carried out because activities have stalled, which has a shocking impact on supply and demand.

"But believe me, if the lockdown is carried out as soon as possible, its spread will be very limited and we inevitably face the economic downturn. Even the bitter one, the recession. But believe me, it will rebound quickly," he said, in a live broadcast with INDEF via video conference, in Jakarta. , Friday, March 27th.

According to Faisal, lockdown is the best option that can be taken at this time. The government, said Faisal, needs to emulate India which quickly decided to lock down even though the number of COVID-19 cases was far below other countries.

"India, whose cases are smaller than ours, will lockdown early. Because they are aware that the costs of being late in handling this will be much greater. Not only the costs of money, but also human lives. From that perspective, it seems that the government is too biased to protect the economy." , "he said.

Faisal said, if the government continues to postpone the lockdown, it is not impossible that the spread of COVID-19 will become wider and threaten Indonesia for a longer term.

"The pattern is like now, over time in uncertainty. Later other countries will rebound, we will rebound longer. We better be bitter in the short term, but be happy to face the medium and long term. Rather than like this," he explained.

Lockdown Starting from Jakarta and Java Island

Faisal said, if you look at the data from January to February before positive cases of COVID-19 were found in Indonesia, there were at least 183 thousand tourists from China.

This should have been an early warning for the government. Moreover, the implementation of the lockdown is also considered too late because of its wider distribution. However, there was no other choice.

According to Faisal, cultural differences between Indonesians and other countries cannot be used as an excuse by the government not to implement lockdowns. This is because each country has an approach based on the situation faced by each country.

"Our condition, if we pretend one by one, leaves us with no choice but to lockdown," he said.

Faisal did not blame the government's decision to carry out a mass rapid test, but it would be much more effective if there was a lockdown. This is because Indonesia is not like South Korea, which can carry out a rapid test of 15 thousand per day.

According to Faisal, Indonesia, which is an archipelagic country, will be an advantage in itself if the government decides to carry out a limited lockdown. Moreover, currently not only Jakarta, but other cities on the island of Java have also reported positive cases of COVID-19.

"It is easier for Indonesia to carry out a limited lockdown because we are archipelago not continental. Just take care of Jakarta and especially if it has spread to the city of Java, then guard (the Island) of Java first. So that it does not spread to other provinces," he said.

If the government does not lockdown and continues to postpone, said Faisal, it is not impossible that 34 provinces in Indonesia will be infected with COVID-19. Moreover, community mobility is still high, even though there have been calls for social distancing.

"But yesterday's data, 27 provinces added 3 provinces in 24 hours. Because there is no adequate monitoring process on human mobility from Jakarta to other areas or from other areas to Jakarta, it is getting more difficult. I think this week 34 complete provinces have been infected with the virus. the source is from Jakarta, "he explained.

Faisal said, COVID-19 is like a world war because 198 countries have been infected with this virus. However, unfortunately this war is not a physical war that the battlefield can predict, including the number of enemy troops.

"This war is not like a physical war, but a war against ghosts. The war against the ghosts we don't know the battlefield. Maybe it's already in front of our house, it's already at the heart of our defense. There is no other word when we don't know, then one the only way is to limit or lockdown, "he said.