Guessing The Reasons For The Government Not To Open The Red Zone For COVID-19

JAKARTA - The spread of the corona virus or COVID-19 is increasingly massive in various regions in Indonesia. A number of provinces have been designated as red zones due to the spread of the virus. However, the government has not opened another dangerous zone due to the spread of the virus.

Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X asked President Joko Widodo to immediately convey the dangerous zone. The goal is that local governments can immediately take policies to anticipate the spread of COVID-19.

"I tell the president which areas are in the red zone. So that we, people who want to go or will come from the beginning, can anticipate that he is from the red area," said Sri Sultan at the DIY Regional Government Kepatihan Complex, Monday, March 30.

He is worried that by not releasing the data immediately, the regional government will be wrong in making decisions which will have an impact on the massive spread of the virus.

"But the government does not want to answer any (red zone). Meanwhile for us it is (important) to formulate policies," said Sri Sultan.

Public policy analysis Trubus Rahadiansyah said there were several reasons for the government not to disclose the data. The first consideration is about security. When data on the zone of the spread of COVID-19 is opened, there is a risk of turmoil in the community.

"Of course there are reasons why this data is not disclosed. The most likely thing is that there will be panic and public unrest in areas that are in the red zone," Trubus told VOI, Tuesday, March 31.

Then, the second consideration is about social conflict. He said, when the data was opened to a wide audience, new problems would emerge, such as discrimination against citizens or people who came from the red zone. Meanwhile, when it is not opened immediately, local governments will be confused in dealing with the virus.

For that, continued Trubus, local governments are advised to collect data independently. Because, if you are in confusion for too long, it will make more victims fall. However, in carrying out this data collection, local governments continue to coordinate with the central government. Thus, there is no mistake regarding the results of data collection at the regional and national levels.

"If the region considers it necessary (data collection) please note that the results are always coordinated with the central government," he said.