Don't Want COVID-19 Patients To Become Victims Of Violence, Chairman Of The Indonesian House Of Representatives: Enemy The Virus, Not The People!

Speaker of the House of Representatives Puan Maharani (Photo: Special)

JAKARTA - Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, emphasized that COVID-19 patients anywhere should not be isolated, let alone subjected to violence from the surrounding community. According to him, all forms of violence in society cannot be justified for whatever reason.

"What we are against is the disease, the virus, not the person. COVID-19 patients should not be isolated, let alone be subjected to violence," said Puan in a written statement to reporters, Sunday, July 25.

In order to prevent this from happening, the chairman of the PDI-P DPP then asked the local government and the police to monitor the community. Especially, for areas that fall into the PPKM Level 4 zone.

Monitoring, said Puan, is important to do to prevent violence, especially for COVID-19 patients who are in self-isolation. "Don't let people become victims of violence in the midst of a pandemic," he stressed.

Puan also asked the local government to provide self-isolation facilities to prevent massive transmission in the community. In addition, he also asked COVID-19 patients in isolation areas to pay attention to their needs.

"Make sure the residents of COVID-19 patients in the isolation areas eat enough, have enough medicine and vitamins, and continue to monitor their development. After all, the regional budget is available for COVID-19 prevention, use it so that people feel that the country is present in the midst of these difficult conditions," he said.

Furthermore, Puan said that violence is not a characteristic of the Indonesian nation. So, he reminded the public to work together and be solid in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are a nation of compassion, full of love. Our compassion should not be as small as the virus we are friends with, but must be as big as the hopes of our fellow brothers, our neighbors, who need help and healing," he concluded.