President Jokowi Hears Feedback About Lockdown But Still Chooses Micro PPKM

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Twitter @jokowi)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) claimed to have heard a lot of input regarding the handling of COVID-19 which is now increasing, including the implementation of lockdown or locks. However, the government said that the implementation of Micro-Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) was the most appropriate policy.

"The government has received a lot of input and of course we welcome any input, whether personal, group or community, including re-imposing PSBB (Large-Scale Social Restrictions) and locking down considering the very rapid spike in positive cases", Jokowi said in a video caption that was shown on Twitter. Presidential Secretariat YouTube, Wednesday, June 23.

Before the policy was taken, the former Governor of DKI Jakarta said the government was trying to study various inputs to deal with the spread of COVID-19. Not only that, but his party also takes into account the economic, social, cultural, political conditions in the country as well as experiences from other countries.

Only then did the government decide Micro PPKM which was the most appropriate policy to stop the transmission of the virus in the country. Moreover, this policy can target the village or community level and not kill the economy.

"Why did the government decide on Micro PPKM? Because the government sees that the Micro PPKM policy is still the most appropriate policy for the current context to control COVID-19 because it can run without shutting down the people's economy", he stressed.

Moreover, Jokowi views that the Micro PPKM policy with a lock-down or lock-up actually has the same essence, namely limiting community activities. So, he asked the public not to fuss over the existing terms.

Furthermore, he believes that this Micro PPKM policy can reduce the rate of COVID-19 cases in the community. However, this belief must of course be accompanied by the implementation of the policy in the field.

For this reason, he then ordered regional heads to be committed to implementing the Micro PPKM policy and optimizing the utilization of the handling posts in each region.

Jokowi said the function of the post to encourage changes in people's behavior to comply with the 3M health protocol, namely wearing masks, maintaining distance, and washing hands should be the main focus. In addition, this post must also be able to strengthen the implementation of testing, tracing, and treatment (3T) down to the village level.

Although President Jokowi said Micro PPKM was the most appropriate policy by the government to stop the spread of COVID-19, an epidemiologist from Australia's Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, asked the government not to be careless.

According to him, the government still has to evaluate after the Micro PPKM policy has been strengthened for a week. The thickening of these restrictions will be carried out over the next two weeks starting on June 23 to July 5.

"My first response was the implementation of this thickened Micro PPKM, so we'll see or evaluate it weekly", said Dicky when contacted by VOI.

This evaluation is important considering that from January to June, he said, there was no significant strengthening in the 3T aspect.

"There is no strengthening in testing, tracing, quarantine isolation during the PPKM period because this is very fatal because 3T is very vital to break the chain of transmission", he said.

Next, the government must ensure that all policies are implemented in a disciplined manner with strict monitoring. One example is the policy of working from home or work from home which so far is often not carried out consistently by entrepreneurs and institutions/ministries, as well as state-owned companies.

If there is a violation, he asked the government and related stakeholders to impose sanctions so that the company can get a deterrent effect.

Even if the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase or decrease slowly, the government, especially President Jokowi, feels the need to think of other ways. Because, during a pandemic, the most important thing is to save people's lives rather than mess with the economy.

"The problem is not saving the economy. It's a big life-saving problem", he concluded.