Luhut Admits That He Is Now Listening To Input From Many Parties To Overcome COVID-19: Believe Me, We Will Make The Best

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut B. Pandjaitan stated that the decision-making and planning process in handling the COVID-19 pandemic always involves many parties, including various regional campuses in Indonesia.

“This is all, we listen to a lot of people. We listened to professors from the UI Faculty of Medicine, medical professional associations, Universitas Airlangga, UGM, and others," said Coordinating Minister Luhut in a press statement as quoted on Tuesday, July 20.

Luhut emphasized that in the current situation, there are several things that generally need to be known and understood by the public or the wider community. The first is related to handling upstream, namely the need for community support, and this is the key.

"We encourage people to comply with health protocols. I'm not asking for 100 percent, if 60 percent is just amazing," he explained.

Meanwhile, the second aspect is related to the need and fulfillment of oxygen, medicine, health workers (nakes), beds, and vaccinations. Another aspect is knowledge about the type of delta virus or COVID-19. He views the need for oxygen so that vaccinations can still be well controlled up to now.

“In the middle of this we can relatively control. We are now building hospitals or beds, in Jakarta alone 3,500 or more and all big cities now we are building quarantine places and treatments in the ICU," he added.

Furthermore, Luhut stressed that the government will continue to do its best to provide the best in dealing with this pandemic. He also hopes that all parties will participate and help the government and invite the public to continue to obey health protocols.

"Believe us to do our best, we can do it. There must be a shortage, but with the input of all my friends, I really appreciate it," he concluded.