Introductory Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at Limited Cabinet Meeting (Through Video Conference) on Accelerated Handling of COVID-19 Pandemic, Wednesday, 27 May 2020 at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

On today’s Limited Meeting, I’d like to emphasize several issues that deserve attention from Ministers and Chairperson of the COVID-19 Task Force.

The first is related to people who return to Jakarta from mudik trip. It is important to control them to curb the spread of the virus that may cause the second wave pandemic, especially in the Greater Jakarta areas. Based on the latest data, capital Jakarta trend for R0 and Rt is already below 1, so we need to continue to lower it even further.

Next, I order the COVID-19 Task Force and Ministries to focus on provinces with a high number of new COVID-19 cases. In Java Island, do pay extra attention especially to East Java province in terms of the availability of COVID-19 referral and emergency hospitals. I call on Minister of Health and Chairperson of the Task Force to pay closer attention to the region. Next, regarding the acceleration of sample testing and massive tracking for those who are most likely to be exposed with the virus in East Java province, including in provinces outside Java Island – whose cases remain quite high – such as South Sulawesi, South Kalimantan, South Sumatra, Papua, and West Nusa Tenggara.

Lastly, the target of 10,000 specimens per day for massive testing which I requested a few months ago has to be materialized immediately.

I conclude my remarks.

Thank you.

Translated by Estu Widyamurti
Reviewed by Muhardi