PPKM Extended, Jokowi's Way Of Handling COVID-19 Is Not Smart And Reckless

Natalius Pigai (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The government has extended the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM) level 3-4 in Java-Bali until August 16. This PPKM level extension is the third time after ending on August 9 and August 2. In response to this, humanitarian activist Natalius Pigai, assessed that the PPKM which was continued to be extended was a manifestation of the failure of the Joko Widodo government in taking policies to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. "Jokowi's method is not smart and reckless," said Pigai, Tuesday, August 10. According to him, if the country is serious about ending the spread of COVID-19, then the government should not hesitate to implement a regional quarantine or lockdown.

"It's been one month 11 days or 41 days (PPKM), but COVID-19 is still wildly attacking residents," he said. Pigai assessed that this time span was too long when compared to the effectiveness of the lockdown which only took 14 days.

"If July 5 implements the Quarantine Law, namely the lockdown of Java and Bali, it only takes 14 days for COVID-19 to die," said the former Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission.

Therefore, Pigai views that so far the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic led by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has not really gone well.