President Jokowi Highlights Priorities in Handling COVID-19 Outbreak

By Office of Assistant to Deputy Cabinet Secretary for State Documents & Translation     Date 6 April 2020
Category: News
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President Jokowi delivers his remarks during an online Limited Cabinet Meeting at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday (6/4). Photo by: PR/Ibrahim.

Presiden Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has conducted evaluation for COVID-19 Task Force and highlighted several priorities.

“Communication between the central government and regional governments must always be maintained, so that all of us have one vision, have one common line in overcoming the COVID-19 problems,” the President said in his remarks during an online Limited Cabinet Meeting at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday (6/4).

In his remarks, the President also highlighted several other factors:

First, related to Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB).

“We already have Regulation of Minister of Health Number 9 of 2020. Most importantly, I want to ask several things, especially the implementation of the regulation to prevent and break the chain of COVID-19 spread,” the President said.

Second, related to the conditional parole of inmates in COVID-19 outbreak.

“In other countries, we can see the example when Iran releases 95,000 inmates and when Brazil releases 34,000 inmates. Other countries also do the same,” the President said.

On that occasion, the President also said that last week he has agreed on releasing some inmates.

“Our prisons are overcrowded and it is very risky in accelerating the spread of COVID-19. However, the inmates are not unconditionally released. Of course there are conditions, criteria, and supervision,” he said.

The President went on to say that the Government never discusses the option to release graft inmates. “Regarding Government Regulation Number 99 of 2012, I need to say that there is no amendment. Therefore, the release of inmates is only for general criminal inmates,” the President said.

Third, related to speed.

“I demand that the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test is prioritized for high-risk people, including medical doctors and their families, the PDP (Patients Under Treatment) and the ODP (People Under Surveillance). The speed of examination in the laboratory should increase and we expect with that speed we can find out who has tested positive and who has tested negative,” the President said.

President added that the speed regarding the procurement and distribution of PPE (and) medical equipment needed by hospitals should also be highlighted.

“We have distributed (the equipment), let’s say, to a province. The Province should be monitored to ensure that it has distributed the equipment to the hospitals, the President said.

Fourth, the WHO has recommended that everyone should wear face mask.

“Therefore, I also ask that face masks should be ready and distributed to the people. We want to ensure that every citizen who leaves their house wear face mask,” the President said, adding that previously the WHO explained that only those who are not in a good health should wear face mask, but now everyone who leaves house should wear face mask.

Fifth, related to the updated situations in other countries.

“It needs to be disseminated to the public so that the public know that currently 207 countries have been affected,” the President said, adding that there are 10 countries with the highest cases of COVID-19.

“In the United States there are 305,000 (cases of COVID-19), Italy has 119,000 cases, Spain has 117,000 cases, Germany has 85,000 cases, China has 82,000 cases, France has 63,000 cases, Iran has 53,000 cases, Britain has 38,000 cases, Turkey has 20,000 cases, and Switzerland has 19,000 cases We should keep in mind that the disease does not only occur in Indonesia but also occur in 207 countries,” the President said.

Sixth, the President demands the updated data on the percentage of Regencies, Provinces and Cities that have carried out budget reallocation and budget refocusing.

“This is very important, especially related to social safety net so that it can be distributed immediately to the people,” the President concluded. (FID/EN)

 

 

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana

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