Directives of President of the Republic of Indonesia on the Handling of COVID-19 in Central Java Province Tuesday, 30 June 2020 at Gradhika Bhakti Praja Building, Complex of Central Java Governor’s Office, Semarang, Central Java Province
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Good morning,
Peace and prosperity be upon us all,
First of all, I would like to extend the highest gratitude and appreciation to Central Java Governor, Vice Governor, all Regents and Mayors as well as the Task Force, all hospitals, doctors, nurses, medical personnel, all volunteers, and also the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda), particularly the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) for their hard work and dedication in maintaining public security and order amid COVID-19.
We know the threat of COVID-19 is not over yet, the level of the threat is still high, the conditions also keep changing, still very dynamic. Therefore, we must avoid the second wave, do not let a second wave occur. I remind you, we are not only dealing with a health crisis issue but also economic issue, economic crisis, because the demand is disrupted, supply is disrupted, production is also disrupted.
Indonesia’s economy in the first quarter could still grow, our normal condition is above 5, yet our first quarter grew 2.97, could still grow 2.97, but in the second quarter we are worried that we may post a negative growth, our economic growth. This is what we have to carefully manage, managing the crisis so that health and economic matters could go hand in hand.
I hope, ladies and gentlemen, we can control the brake and gas pedal. Do not loosen up without controlling the brake, so the economy may be good but COVID-19 cases are also increasing. That is not what we want. The COVID-19 must be under control, but the economy also will not affect people’s welfare.
However, it is not easy, all countries are experiencing it. The last economic contraction that I received, for instance, in 2020 the world’s economy is estimated to drop to minus 6 or even minus 7.6 this year. What does it mean? Global, the world has entered a recession. In fact, I will tell you, Singapore is predicted to drop to minus 6.8 this year; Malaysia minus 8; the United States of America minus 9.7; the United Kingdom minus 15.4; Germany minus 11.2; France minus 17.2; Japan minus 8.3.
Therefore, if we can control, controlling the brake and gas pedal between COVID-19, between health and economic issues, this is what we expect. This is our common responsibility, not only governors, regents, and mayors, but also the ranks of Forkopimda, personnel of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), personnel of the Indonesian National Police, and the COVID-19 Task Force, to ensure that it can run well.
Therefore, I order not to start the new normal without taking the proper stages. Every time we make a policy, we should refer to scientific data, second is scientific advice from the scientists and experts should also be considered so that the decision made will be right on target. The Governor has said earlier that the data is accurate, there is accurate data, then we will use it. Do not start the new normal order if the data is still not completed, do not hastily enforce it, the stages must be carefully prepared.
First, a precondition, there must be a precondition. If there is already a precondition, second, the timing of opening, the timing must be perfect. Do not begin the new normal order if the Rt is still above 1 and the R0 is still high. Be careful, do not make any policy without clear scientific data. After precondition, timing, the third aspect is priority. Which sectors to reopen first, do not reopen all sectors at the same time. If the industry sector is possible to reopen, go ahead, if the tourism sector is possible to reopen, go ahead, but the capacity must still be limited. If the prior capacity was 1,000, make it 500 in the first phase. There is no need to hurry because we are dealing with two issues, health and economy, that should run well. If the priority sectors have been determined, do not forget to evaluate and monitor it every day, every week, every two weeks, do monitor and evaluate them. If the confirmed case is rising, we should close the sectors again, we must be brave, must be brave to make such decision. We cannot, once again, decide on a policy without considering scientific data and input from the experts.
Second, I order the Governors, Regents, and Mayors that the budget allocated for COVID-19 health services to be disbursed immediately because it is related to money circulation in the community. Second, social assistance spending must also be disbursed immediately because it is important so we can fulfill social safety net for the people, especially those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Third, regarding the economic stimulus package, especially for small and medium enterprises. Provinces, regencies, and municipalities must closely monitor. The budget should also be prepared, the central government must prepare, provincial administration must prepare, the regency and municipal administrations must prepare the budget so there will be multiple layers and nothing is overlooked. The regional budget (APBD) should be reallocated for the spending that focuses on those three aspects to increase money circulation in the community.
I had instructed all ministries and institutions, last week, to accelerate their spending, and I monitor it every day. Now I know the spending made by ministries and institutions, how many percent they have spent? If the spending on those three aspects is still low, I will call the ministers or heads by myself immediately. We must not let the amount of money in circulation grows more slowly, we must continue to push those expenditures so that it can increase money circulation in the community.
Lastly, in my opinion, locally-based intervention strategy is the most effective way to deal with COVID-19, locally-based intervention strategy. Isolating neighborhood units, community units, and villages is way more effective than city-level or provincial scale quarantine. This is more effective. We should use the strategy to decrease the R0 (basic reproductive number for COVID-19) and Rt (virus’s actual transmission rate at a given time).
I am grateful for the hard work of all ranks in Central Java administration. And I will see, we hope that next month, in July, COVID-19 cases in Central Java Province decline significantly and InsyaAllah (God Willing) the economy can also return to normal.
I think that is all I can say in this good opportunity.
Thank you.
I conclude.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Central Java Governor (Ganjar Pranowo)
Well, the President gives opportunity for two people to ask questions. If you have a question, please raise your hand, from regency/ municipality. If you have a question. Okay, one from Karanganyar. From a hospital perhaps? Karanganyar municipal administration. Or is there anyone from hospital? You can raise your hands. I cannot see the next screen, please slide the screen if anyone raising hands, maybe from those who manage… Any question from this screen? Oh, there is. There is no question from hospital. Ok, Solo Mayor, so the questions are from Karanganyar and Solo. Let us start the question from Karanganyar first. Please, Mr. Juli.
Karanganyar Regent (Juliyatmono)
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Central Java Governor (Ganjar Pranowo)
Wa’alaikumsalam.
Karanganyar Regent (Juliyatmono)
Good morning,
May peace be upon us all.
Honorable President of the Republic of Indonesia, the Governor, the Regents, the Mayors, the Forkopimda throughout Central Java Province,
First, we have followed-up the President’s directives in Karanganyar. We minimized, those who are affected by COVID-19 have been isolated in their homes, we moved quickly, we sent positive patients to the hospital, we isolated our environment, we provided food, we moved everywhere, and we created a comfortable atmosphere. Everything has run well, and thank God, positive cases continue to decline. However, since we share border with East Java, the travelers who pass through East Java create some new clusters lately, but we have handled them well.
We want to ask permission Mr. Governor, through the President, we have proposed to start crawling, in the context of economy, to discuss the Revised Regional Budget. Considering that all of our budgets have been refocused particularly to deal with the impacts of COVID-19. The number is just too big, we use it as little as possible because I consider the COVID-19 is over. We do not want COVID-19 to occupy so much of our thinking. We pray to God because the COVID-19 is also a God’s creature and the approach must be spiritual and we pray while making every endeavour. But to move this economy, we ask for permission that so we can revise the regional budget immediately, the OPD (Regional Apparatus Organization) can resume the activities, we can immediately grow the economy again. We want to restart the economy so the COVID-19 no longer occupies so much of our thinking.
I think that is all my question, Mr. Governor. We have also sent a letter to Minister of Home Affairs asking for permission to immediately discuss the Revised Regional Budget, to return the results of budget refocusing to several OPDs whose activities must be resumed but we still prioritize COVID-19, social safety net and recovery, though the budget is not as high as the results of refocusing that have been arranged through the joint decision, so that the ASN (State Civil Apparatus) can resume their activities immediately since such the budget is almost none, only for routine activities.
Thank you.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Central Governor (Ganjar Pranowo)
Wa’alaikumsalam. Thank you, Mr. Juli. The issue does not need to reach the President. You are allowed to discuss the Revised Regional Budget. Next, Solo Mayor Rudy, please.
Surakarta Mayor (F.X. Hadi Rudyatmo)
Thank you.
Honorable President of the Republic of Indonesia, the Governor, the Regional Police Chief, the Military commander, the Central Java Forkopimda, and the Regents, the Mayors throughout Central Java, and Ladies and Gentlemen,
I want to convey several things. First, for the COVID-19 prevention and handling in Surakarta, to date, there are only two hospitalized inpatients, one person is in home-isolation. The two inpatients are Semarang residents .
Second, regarding the budget refocusing, we have done it and the participation from Solo residents is quite impressive so we used it for PTT at first, we prepared the budget at only Rp 43 billion but after it ran, after the KLB (Extraordinary Events) status, many community members provided assistance. For the social safety net, it is still adequate until August. We have not used the regional budget so the budget can be used to pay the debts that have not been paid, Mr. President.
Then, for the Governor, we need to say that as ordered by the Governor, the Bung Karno Hospital has been designated for COVID-19 handling. But to date, the submission, the incentive for health workers have not been realized. For the medical devices that we proposed yesterday amounting to Rp 53 billion, there is no silver lining yet. For that reason, please realize it immediately because the Bung Karno Hospital is a new hospital and it is not only treating Solo residents. We are taking care of Sukoharjo, Boyolali, Klaten, and other residents from the surrounding areas, even there are patients from Jombang.
Furthermore, Mr. Governor, we go straight to you Mr. Governor, not to the President, to realize the budget for the Bung Karno Hospital. We have prepared the hospital and have treated patients, but the incentives for health workers and equipment that we have proposed have not been realized yet.
That is all. Thank you. If there are people who are not pleased with my words, I apologize and good morning. Thank you, Mr. Governor.
Gubernur Jawa Tengah (Ganjar Pranowo)
Hold on, Mr. Mayor, before the President responds, how many people are currently treated at the Bung Karno Hospital?
Surakarta Mayor (F.X. Hadi Rudyatmo)
Only one person is treated, but yesterday there were quite a lot of people treated in the hospital.
Central Java Governor (Ganjar Pranowo)
Okay, to date, there is….
Surakarta Mayor (F.X. Hadi Rudyatmo)
There is one person, maybe Solo will have zero case in a few months later, Mr. Governor.
Central Java Governor (Ganjar Pranowo)
Okay, I’ll send my Head of Health Office to check it immediately.
Surakarta Mayor (F.X. Hadi Rudyatmo)
Yes, sir. thank you, sir.
Central Java Governor (Ganjar Pranowo)
Yes, thank you.
Please, Mr. President.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)
For the Revised Regional Budget, if regency and municipality want it to be done immediately, then do it immediately as the Governor said earlier. Because once again, the economy in the community, including money circulation, it is now can be stimulated from the regional budget, be it regency, municipality, province, and also from the state budget. The only one that can stimulate the economy is coming from the budget revision. Therefore, everything needs to be accelerated if a budget revision is needed. If not, then immediately spend it. Spending the budget from the regional budget, from the state budget, spending it as soon as possible.
I notice a lot of regions have already spent it, but there are also many regions that have not spent it yet, whether it is a capital spending or goods spending. Immediately, go spend it as soon as possible. As in Karanganyar, for instance, the region wants to open tourism in Tawangmangu, for example, I remind you to be cautious. The readiness, the health protocol should be ready on the ground, check it. Do not let visitors, local tourists to visit when the health protocol is not ready yet.
In Solo, I also notice, that the economy has begun to improve. Earlier, regarding the Bung Karno Hospital issue, if it could not be resolved by the Governor, then it can be resolved by the Central Government, I will help to resolve it.
I think that is my additional comments. Thank you Mr. Mayor, Mr. Regent.
Central Java Governor (Ganjar Pranowo)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
That is all response by the President for the Regent’s / Mayor’s questions. Hopefully, we can protect our respective regions and once again, the message of the President, we should prepare the new normal order, prepare our economy, yet pay attention to scientific data. Once again, please pay attention to the scientific data because this is related to the brake and gas control, and we ourselves know it best, administrators in the region are expected to be responsive to this matter.
Mr. President, thank you for your directives. We conclude.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Translated by Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by Mia Medyana B