Social Conflict Appears, Mufti Anam Proposes Emergency PPKM Not To Be Extended

Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Mufti Anam, suggested that the emergency PPKM should not be extended. . (ANTARA/Malik Ibrahim)

SURABAYA – PPKM (implementation of restrictions on community activities) Emergency which will end on 20 July is not expected to be extended again. This opinion came from a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives in charge of the economy and BUMN, Mufti Anam.

The DPR RI member from the PDI-P faction argued that the people's resilience was running low. According to the members of the DPR from the East Java II Dapil, if it is continued, it will burden the community/

“The main thing is that it is agreed that health and the economy cannot be contradicted. So, concurrent steps are needed. I also need to emphasize, when we talk about the economy in the context of emergency PPKM, we are not really talking about the high-class economy, but rather the main thing is saving the economy of the small people, which is really difficult at the moment," said Mufti to the media in Surabaya, Sunday, July 18.

Mufti said the current situation was very worrying. Economically, people's resilience is running low. Even the sparks of social conflict at the grassroots are increasingly occurring in the regions. This was escalated by a number of enforcement actions that led to chaos and went viral on social media.

"I appreciate the various social interventions by the government through social assistance. But keep in mind, the majority of social assistance comes from the center. The local government's fiscal capacity is already limited in providing social assistance, in contrast to the beginning of the 2020 pandemic. So, no matter how big the social assistance from the center will not be enough because of the impact the second wave of this pandemic is so widespread. This is one of the problems in the field," he said.

Mufti explained that daily workers and informal workers are now in an increasingly difficult situation. On the other hand, middle to upper income people withhold their spending because they are still waiting and see regarding the handling of the pandemic.

"So don't let the emergency PPKM policy to control COVID-19 lead to social conflicts that continue to widen, a chaotic situation that actually harms our nation as a whole. So that emergency PPKM with all due respect should not be extended, but with a note that there are improvements in handling from the health side- so that no one is sacrificed," said the young politician.

"This means that controlling COVID-19 remains very important," said Mufti, in a press release to reporters.

The Mufti gave a note on handling from a health standpoint which is absolutely necessary. These include increasing enforcement of health protocols, accelerating vaccinations to two million per day, recruiting additional health workers, increasing isolation places and emergency hospitals for those with mild symptoms, and strengthening the "3T" (test, tracing, and treatment).

"Actually there is a test target per region, it should continue to be evaluated and opened to the public in detail because it is very vital in handling the pandemic. What is actually rampant is only controlling traders, street vendors being investigated," said Mufti.

Mufti asked the government to speed up payment of incentives for health workers and hospital claims. "Currently it has started to pay off gradually, we appreciate it. It needs to be accelerated so that hospitals have sufficient financial space to move quickly and tactically in the field," he said.

Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the decision to extend the policy on the implementation of the emergency community activity restriction (PPKM) would be announced in the next 2-3 days.

"Currently, we are evaluating the PPKM with this timeframe and whether a further extension is needed. We will report it to the President and I think in the next 2-3 days, we will also officially announce it," Luhut said at the conference. virtual press in Jakarta, Saturday (17/7) night.

The minister who was assigned to be the coordinator of the Java-Bali emergency PPKM said there were two indicators that would be used to evaluate the emergency PPKM in the period 3-20 July 2021.

"The two indicators that we use evaluate the transition period in which relaxation can be done if the indicators for adding confirmation cases and the bed occupancy ratio (level of occupancy of beds in hospitals) are getting better," said Luhut.

According to Luhut, in the last two days, said Luhut, the two indicators for the addition of cases and the occupancy rate of beds in hospitals have improved. With good management, all can be well and will become a new pattern in dealing with the delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.