Covid-19 Handling Command Strengthened

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers signal to potential passengers Monday (13/4/2020) outside Tanah Abang Station in Central Jakarta. By the fourth day of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), people at the station were still not following the regulation to maintain a distance of 1-2 meters from others to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a non-natural disaster, a step which has the implication to further strengthen the command of the handling of the outbreak from the central to central governments . This decision must be utilized optimally so that all resources in the regions can be used more effectively in reducing the spread of COVID-19.

The determination of the status of a national disaster is contained in Presidential Decree No. 12/ 2020 concerning the determination of the spread of COVID-19 as a national disaster, which was signed by President Jokowi on Monday.

"The presidential decree gave the chief of the COVID-19 task force and its staff in the regions greater authority to handle and stop the COVID-19 pandemic," State Secretary Pratikno said on Monday night.

Also read: Awaiting the House of Representatives’ Stance

Presidential Decree No. 12/2020 stipulates that the handling of the national disaster due to COVID-19 is carried out by the COVID-19 task force in cooperation with ministries / agencies and local governments. Meanwhile, governors, regents and mayors as chairpersons of the COVID-19 task force in the regions must follow the central government’s policy in determining regional programs. This makes the center-regional command line stronger.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Passengers await a Commuter Line train on Monday (13/4/2020) at Tanah Abang Station in Central Jakarta. Although most people were wearing face masks, they were still failing to adhere to the policy of maintaining physical distance of 1-2 meters from other people to prevent transmitting or contracting the disease.

The chief of the COVID-19 task force, Doni Monardo, who is also the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said he would use his authority by executing the coordination, command and implementation of sanctions as regulated by Law No. 24/2007. It also relates to the mobilization of human resources, equipment, logistics, and coordination with immigration, excise and quarantine, procurement of goods and services, and management and accountability of money or goods and services.

Before the issuance of the Presidential Decree No 12/2020, Doni did not get the command function as stipulated in Law No. 6/2018 on Health Quarantine or Government Regulation and Health Minister’s Regulation on Social Scale Restrictions.

"On the basis of the Disaster Mitigation Law, specifically in the handling of COVID-19, as the chief of the COVID-19 Task Force, I legally have a command function," he said.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A Transportation Agency worker scans the temperature of an angkot (public minivan) driver on Monday (13/4/2020) on Jl, Juanda in Bogor municipality, West Java. Workers from the Transportation Agency, the Land Transportation Organization and volunteers checked the temperature of public minivan drivers and passengers as part of the preparation for the large-scale social restrictions in the city to be effective starting Wednesday.

One Command

The vice chairman of the House of Representatives Commission VIII Ace Hasan Syadzily said that the Presidential Decree No 12/2020 was issued to strengthen the Presidential Decree No 11/2020 on the establishment of the health emergency. "With the designation the COVID-19 as a national disaster, the regions must follow the central instructions. "All central policies must be followed by all regions because the pandemic threatens the entire regions," he said.

Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Djoko Santoso hailed the issuance of the Presidential Decree No 12/2020.

The presidential decree requires the involvement of almost all ministries / institutions. The point is that foreign and domestic parties are all involved in the handling of the COVID-19, including those related to procurement or import of everything related to the COVID-19. "It is very positive. Actually, it should have been done a half month ago. However, it\'s better late than never," he said.

Local government budgets for disaster management can be optimally utilized to overcome COVID-19.

Epidemiologist at the University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, said that the delay must be responded to with a quick response in each region in handling the COVID-19. The determination of the spread of Covid-19 as a national disaster, added Tri, should give a stronger legal basis in the handling of COVID-19 in the regions. Local government budgets for disaster management can be optimally utilized to overcome COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indonesia reached a total of 4,557 cases as of Monday. The number of the patients who have recovered reached 380 people, with 399 deaths. With that figures, the temporary mortality rate is 8.76 percent, far higher than the global average of 6.24 percent.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A man finishes hanging a banner displaying public information on the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) for Bogor on Monday (13/4/2020) along Jl. Arzimar in Tegal Gundil subdistrict, North Bogor. The Bogor Covid-19 rapid response task force is to implement the PSBB starting Wednesday, and will be installing 30 public information banners at strategic locations.

Supervision of PSBB

Jakarta will further tighten supervision of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), which has been implemented for five days. The mobility of the people to Jakarta remains high as neighboring regions such as Banten and West Java have not implemented the same measures.

"Later on Wednesday, our neighbors in West Java will implement a similar measure. Hopefully, Banten will also follow suit so that legal enforcement will be much easier, " Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said.

Meanwhile, the PSBB measures in Tangerang Raya, which includes the city of Tangerang, South Tangerang regency, and Tangerang regency, will come into force on Saturday (18/4).

To tighten the implementation of the PSBB in Jakarta, officers will actively patrol 33 surveillance locations which consist of 11 border areas, 13 stations and terminals, five toll gates, and four other locations within the city. Anies also reiterated that app-based motorcycle taxis are not allowed to carry passengers. The app-based motorcycle taxis are allowed only to deliver goods.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

An increased number of motorists were spotted on Monday (13/4/2020) along Jl. Gatot Subroto in Pancoran, South Jakarta, compared to the first day of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) last Friday. Jakartans continue to be out and about in the capital, although the administration has issued a formal appeal that requires formal workers to work from home.

The governor also warned companies, which still ask their employees to work at offices, to follow the social distancing policy which among others requires the employees to work from home.

On Monday morning, commuter trains from Banten and West Java to Jakarta were still packed with passengers who were still working.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto rejected the proposal for the implementation of the PSBB in a number of areas, namely Sorong City (West Papua), Rote Ndao District (East Nusa Tenggara), and Palangkaraya City (Central Kalimantan). The rejection was based on epidemiological studies and other studies from the technical team and the consideration of the COVID-19 Task Force. (KOMPAS TEAM)