Remembering A 10-year-old Boy Who Fought Against COVID, Puan Maharani Asks The Government To Set Aside A Budget To Protect Children

Caricature of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mrs. Maharani wishing happy children's day (Photo: DOK Mrs. Maharani)

JAKARTA - Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, has encouraged the government to accelerate the realization of budget spending for handling COVID-19. This is because part of the budget will be used to protect children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Children are one of the most vulnerable groups in this pandemic. Starting from those who were directly infected, left behind by their parents, to those whose studies were disrupted due to the pandemic," said Puan regarding the commemoration of National Children's Day in Jakarta, Friday, July 23.

In addition, Puan also encouraged the government to pay special attention to children. One way is by providing assistance or facilitating the learning process during a pandemic.

“This protection can be in the form of online learning tools, compensation or scholarships for children whose parents have died. Especially if their parents were one of the health workers who died because they were fighting at the forefront of dealing with this pandemic," said Puan.

One of the real examples of children who need attention from the government is Vino. A 10-year-old boy from Linggang Village, Purworejo, West Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan, has lost both his parents due to the ferocity of COVID-19.

In fact, the 3rd grade elementary school (SD) boy is currently undergoing a period of isolation due to exposure to COVID-19.

"As soon as I heard the news, as a mother with two children, it broke my heart to hear that a child as small as Vino was orphaned," said Puan.

"In conditions like this, the state must be present to ensure all the needs of Vino and other Indonesian children who have suffered the same fate," he continued.

Puan continued, it is important that the state budget for handling COVID-19 is used to address people's health and economic problems. However, child protection is no less important to pay attention to during a pandemic like today.

“Speaking of Indonesian children today is talking about the fate of the nation in the future. If many Indonesian children today drop out of school and are depressed because of the pandemic and become orphans, this nation will be the one who will suffer the impact in the next twenty or thirty years," he said.

"There should not be a lost generation because the education of Indonesian children today is disrupted due to the pandemic," continued Puan Pu

At the end of her statement, Puan said that the protection of Indonesian children was always emphasized by the Father of the Nation, Bung Karno, in the early days of the republic. In fact, the proclaimer had time to write a poem for Indonesian children.

"If I look into the eyes of the Indonesian people on the side of the road. Especially the light in the eyes of Indonesian children. I actually saw the face of Indonesia," said Puan.