Introductory Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at a Limited Cabinet Meeting through Video Conference on the Acceleration of COVID-19 Pandemic Handling Monday, 18 May 2020 at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Distinguished Vice President,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

I want to address a few things regarding today’s meeting. First, I underline that there is no large-scale social distancing (PSBB) relaxation yet. We should not let the public misunderstand that the Government has started to loose the PSBB, not yet. There is no PSBB relaxation. We are currently pondering a plan or a relaxation scenario that will be decided at the right time and by considering the data and facts on the ground, so that everything will be clear. We should be careful and not make the wrong decision..

In this or next week, or in the next two weeks, the Government will still focus on mudik ban and control the return flow. Therefore, I ask the Indonesia Police Chief and assisted by the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander to ensure that the ban on mass exodus runs effectively on the ground. Do remember that what we ban is a mass exodus, not transportation. All kind of transportations, for logistics, for government affairs, for health matters, for migrant workers repatriation, and also for essential economic affairs can still operate with strict health protocols.

Second, I have received reports from the Governors in both areas implementing the PSBB and those that do not, they conclude that the most effective way to control the spread of COVID-19 is involving the lowest community unit. Therefore, I order relevant ministers, I order all regional heads to strengthen the Task Force at neighborhood units (RT), community units (RW), or villages level. For instance, there is a customary village in Bali. This is very important, this is the key. The key is the Task Force at the RT, RW, or villages as well as the customary village level.

Third, I ask for health facilities at the first level, namely the community health centers (Puskesmas) to be improved. We have 10,134 community health centers across the country and 4,000 of them equipped with inpatient facilities. In addition, there are also 4,883 individually practicing doctors and pratama clinics that have been serving the national health insurance (JKN) program. This should be effective so that the health centers and its network can be activated as a node in sample testing, in tracking, and in tracing COVID-19 cases in the area, as well as to become monitoring nodes for persons under monitoring (ODP) and asymptomatic virus carriers (OTG).

Fourth, related to the distribution of Social Cash Assistance, Staple Food Packages, village funds direct cash assistance (BLT Desa), once again I request to speed up that the process, simplify the process. I have received the last report that the BLT Desa distribution has only reached 15 percent, while social cash approximately reached 25 percent. However, I am also informed by Village Minister and Social Affairs Minister that all assistance distribution will be completed this week. Thus, any problems with the data synchronization between the Social Affairs Ministry’s Integrated Data of Social Welfare (DTKS) and non-DTKS should be resolved immediately. Do provide flexibility to the regions, especially the village administrations so that it will ease them to take operational policy on the ground with accountability.

Fifth, I also ask for the supervision of health protocols in the industrial cluster to be improved. This industry cluster should be watched since there are one to two (COVID-19 cases) that started to enter the cluster.

I conclude my remarks.

Thank you.

Translated by Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by Lulu Wuliarti