Introductory Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia in the Limited Cabinet Meeting on Accelerated Handling of COVID-19 Pandemic, Monday, 13 July 2020, at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good morning,

Peace and prosperity be upon us all.

Honorable Mr. Vice President, Ministers, Commander of the Indonesian National Defence forces (TNI), Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Polri), Chairperson of the Task Force,

In this morning’s Limited Meeting, we will hold an evaluation and discuss a number of things that become our concern. I will not deliver a lot of things but I want to highlight what we must immediately do in response to a rise in new confirmed COVID-19 cases. Recently, as many as 1,681 new positive cases have been confirmed, and on last Thursday, we had 2,500 positive cases including those Secapa (Army Officer Candidate School) cases.

Today, I want to deliver three things. First, we must intensify the 3T (testing, tracing, and treatment) strategy and make it a priority. I order that eight provinces, namely East Java, Jakarta, West Java, South Sulawesi, Central Java, North Sumatra, and Papua be given a priority for testing, tracing, and treatment. As for the test, the number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests must be increased by adding the number of labs in the regions and mobile PCR labs. We hope that we can meet the target of 30 thousand. And tracing for people under surveillance (ODP) and patients under surveillance (PDP), then to facilitate self-isolation and treatment. The number of health facilities in hospitals, particularly beds, PPE, medicines, ventilators, isolation rooms needs to be improved in those provinces. If there is a shortage, Ministry of Health can inform Minister of Public Works and Public Housing to have it resolved immediately.

Second, we must pay closer attention to border control and cross-border travel and transportation. This is because imported cases from abroad also saw a rise.

Third, we must continue to build participatory communication. Communication that builds trust based on science and scientific data in order to arouse public participation, particularly the vulnerable. We must also re-intensify the Government’s campaigns to raise public discipline to implement health protocols such as by wearing face masks, practicing social distancing, and washing hands. I’ve learned that what happened in East Java province is that 70 percent of the people did not wear face masks. I call on the TNI, the Polri, volunteers, mass organizations, prominent figures, and campus to join hands to help disseminate and supervise the campaigns.

I think that concludes my introduction today. I hope that the presentation is not in the form of a report but is more to what we must do, what the issues on the ground are, and is in brief. We want quick moves on the ground given that based on the latest report I received regarding the condition in capital Jakarta, the positivity rate has risen from 4-5 percent to 10.5 percent. This becomes a matter of great concern.

That concludes my introduction. Coordinating Ministers or Ministers, the floor is yours. Once again, please don’t present me a report, but respond to what I have delivered earlier.

Translated by Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Reviewed by Muhardi