Reminding The Panic Moment Of The COVID-19 Pandemic, RRI Reveals Public Information Institutions Are Important For Prevention

Illustration. The situation of the cross-border post (PLBN) Mota Ain in NTT is directly neighboring Timor Leste on Friday, March 20, 2020. (Between-Kornelius Kaha)

MALUKU - Head of Radio of the Republic of Indonesia (RRI) Ambon revealed that the public broadcaster (LPP) became a bridge of information in Indonesia's border area.

"Previously I was in Natuna Regency, Riau Islands (Kepri) at that time I had only been in office for one month, then the COVID-19 pandemic broke out," said Apral in Ambon, Tuesday, May 23, as quoted by Antara.

He said, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, panic appeared in many places, including in Riau Islands.

At that time there was a demonstration regarding the return of a number of Indonesian citizens (WNI) from Wuhan, China, who finally had to undergo quarantine first in Natuna Regency.

"Even because of the panic of the community at that time, some of our employees were hit while on duty covering the demonstration," he said, quoted by Antara.

Seeing the panic over the outbreak of COVID-19, Apral, who at that time served as the head of the local RRI, then took central steps to anticipate panic that could potentially cause chaos in the region bordering Vietnam and Cambodia.

"We provide an explanation to the public that it is important to follow government instructions by implementing health protocols such as wearing masks, maintaining distance. Of course, this must be conveyed properly because the public is very worried about these conditions," he said.

In addition to panic that occurred in the community, Apral admitted that at that time there were other challenges in providing information regarding this matter.

Starting from the local internet network, which at that time was inadequate to access roads that were still not feasible, became a new challenge for RRI in carrying out its duties as a broadcasting institution.

"At that time the internet network was still low, but we from RRI tried to continue to provide information for the public by going to the regions, conducting interviews with related parties ranging from the community to the sub-district head," he said.

RRI's efforts to carry out broadcasting tasks during COVID-19 also paid off when the Head of the Natuna Regency Diskominfo, Raja Darmika emphasized that the district must be free of internet networks in order to make it easier for the public to obtain information and cross-island programs in Natuna Regency.

"This is also the role of RRI in carrying out broadcasting duties so that the public gets accurate information," he said.

Not only in Natuna Regency, the role of RRI in providing information during the Covid-19 pandemic was felt even up to the Indonesia-Malaysia border. Precisely in Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan.

In the midst of the lack of oxygen cylinders in the district, RRI Sintang under the leadership of Apral also made a featured radio written by Reporter RRI Sintang beama Taufik.

Thanks to his featured writings at that time, West Kalimantan also received a large supply of oxygen cylinders from neighboring Malaysia.

"The media should be able to provide constructive, intellectual, and maintain the integrity of the Republic of Indonesia, so that our society gets information that has an impact on developing superior Human Resources (HR)," he said.