Kominfo Will Blast SMS For Residents Who Still Like Kongko-kongko

Menkominfo Johnny G Plate (doc. Kominfo)

JAKARTA - Given the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak, which is increasingly spreading in Indonesia. The government through the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kemenkominfo) will monitor its citizens by sending SMS alerts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The legal umbrella for this policy is the Decree of the Minister of Communication and Information No. 159 of 2020 concerning efforts to deal with the Covid-19 disease coronavirus through the support of the informatics product sector, which was recently launched.

Using data from a cellphone number or Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN), Kominfo will send a warning message to residents who are still hanging out or gathering in the same area.

"Warnings can be given via SMS blast (mass). It is hoped that the public can obey the protocols issued by the government," said the Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G Plate in his press conference at the Ministry of Communication and Information TV.

For information, the SMS blast referred to by the Minister of Communication and Information is a warning message via the sender's ID or representing a company name. According to Johnny, the monitoring aims to remind residents to keep their distance or physical distancing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, Johnny said that in addition to monitoring the public, the government together with cellular operators will also launch a tracking application to map the movement of corona positive patients. An application called PeduliL Protect will monitor residents and patients who are suspected of being positive for COVID-19.

According to @WHO @WHOIndonesia, by using the phrase #PhysicalDistancing, it is hoped that the public can maintain physical distance to ensure that the Covid-19 pandemic does not spread, but does not close themselves socially. ~~ # diumahaja # calmdanwaspada # LawanCovid19 pic.twitter.com/CsPV1idq5E

- Ministry of Communication and Information (@kemkominfo) March 26, 2020

This application can track patient interactions and movements over the past 14 days. Minister Johnny explained that the policy on tracking this only applies temporarily until the emergency period of the Covid-19 outbreak is over and the data is confirmed to be safe by the government.

Kominfo hopes that this step can immediately break the chain of the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia. However, this Decree of the Minister of Communication and Information is specific and applies only to emergencies until the Government declares the situation conducive again.