Administrations Should Not Be Affected

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan leaves the Jakarta Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate after being questioned regarding the alleged violation of health protocols in Petamburan on Tuesday night (17/11/2020). Anies was questioned for about nine hours.

The fact that several regional leaders have contracted COVID-19 should not disrupt the performance of regional administrations. Regional leaders need special protocols to avoid COVID-19.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The workloads of regional heads and deputy heads during the COVID-19 pandemic have caused more and more leaders to contract COVID-19. With no clarity about when the pandemic will end, regional leaders are expected to maintain their own health.

As for regional administrations whose leaders are infected with COVID-19, it is hoped that the work of the administration and public services, especially in controlling COVID-19, will not stop. This is important given the worsening pandemic.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, Riau Governor Syamsuar and Malang Mayor Sutiaji have been added to the long list of regional leaders who have COVID-19. All three tested positive for for the virus on Tuesday (12/1/2020).

Also read: People’s Safety Top Priority

They followed a number of other regional heads and deputy heads who have contracted COVID-19 and are still undergoing self-isolation or hospital treatment. They include Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria, Jombang Regent Mundjidah Wahab and Probolinggo Deputy Mayor Mochammad Soufis Subri. Riza is undergoing self-isolation, while Mundjidah and Subri have been in treatment at the Dr Soetomo Regional General Hospital in Surabaya since last week.

In addition to the recently infected leaders, others were infected with COVID-19 before. Some of them have died. They include acting Sidoarjo Regent Nur Ahmad Syaifuddin who died on Aug. 22 and Situbondo Regent Dadang Wigiarto who died on Nov. 26.

In the midst of pandemic, regional heads and deputy heads have had to bear increasingly heavy duties. Not only do they have to ensure that the local administration and public services continue to run, they also have a central role in controlling COVID-19 in their respective regions.

Also read: Many Hospitals Fully Occupied

These leaders hold central positions in the COVID-19 task forces in each region. The regional head, for example, is the head of the region’s task force.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Civil servants leave City Hall on Jl Medan Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta on Tuesday (1/12/2020). Activities ran normally at City Hall. Based on a swab test at dawn on Tuesday (1/12/2020), Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan tested positive for Covid-19 and is now undergoing self-isolation. Previously, Deputy Governor Riza Patria also tested positive for Covid-19.

Djohermansyah Djohan, a professor at the Institute of State Administration, when contacted on Tuesday (12/1/2020), said regional leaders were at high risk of contracting COVID-19 because many of them continued going in the field and meeting with residents. They also worked as usual in the office, holding meetings and meeting guests. Regional leaders also still had to go to Jakarta to attend meetings with central government officials.

Also read: COVID-19 in 2021

To prevent more regional leaders from contracting COVID-19, the former director general of regional autonomy at the Home Ministry (Kemendagri) reminded all regional leaders to maintain their own health. Strict health protocols must be implemented while performing duties.

Special guidelines

Djohermansyah also urged the central government to quickly prepare guidelines for special health protocols for regional leaders. For example, when they want to hold a meeting or meet guests, meeting participants and guests must first undergo COVID-19 swab tests.

They lead and must keep the regional administration running.

Preventing regional leaders from contracting COVID-19 is important because of their strategic roles. They lead and must keep the regional administration running.

"People also need the direct presence of a leader to bring calm to the situation and formulate a strategy," he added.

As for the regional administrations whose leaders have contracted COVID-19, Djohermansyah hopes that the regional bureaucracy, including COVID-19 control efforts, will continue running. For this reason, the Home Ministry has been asked to monitor areas whose leaders have contracted COVID-19 and provide assistance if the local administration struggles to meet its duties.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A scavenger walks past a mural showing Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan calling for public compliance with health protocols in Bukit Duri, Tebet, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (1/12/2020). Based on a swab test at dawn on Tuesday (1/12/2020), Governor Anies tested positive for Covid-19 and is now undergoing self-isolation. Previously, Deputy Governor Riza Patria also tested positive for Covid-19.

Responding to the proposal for protocol guidelines for regional leaders, the director general of regional administration at the Home Affairs Ministry, Safrizal, said he would consider it.

Regarding the performance of regional administrations and COVID-19 control efforts, he said some regional leaders who had contracted COVID-19 were classified as symptomless. Therefore, they could still work virtually in isolation.

Keep running

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, in an official written and video statement, assured the public that he and Jakarta Deputy Governor Riza Patria were continuing to carry out their duties as regional leaders. "We have been accustomed to doing virtual work since last April. So, there is no need to worry that [the disease will affect our] productivity or that policy processes will be disrupted," said Anies.

Also read: Prevent Spike in COVID-19 Cases at Year-end

Riau COVID-19 task force spokesman Indra Yovi said the administration was not disturbed even though Riau Governor Syamsuar had contracted COVID-19. "The administration is still running as usual. There is the deputy governor [Edy Nasution],” he said.

A similar sentiment was expressed by the secretary of Jombang Regency, Akhmad Jazuli. Aside from the fact that there is the deputy regent of Jombang Sumrambah, Regent Mundjidah also coordinates the apparatus to settle administrative matters.

KOMPAS/ANGGER PUTRANTO

Situbondo Regent Dadang Wigiarto (red sarong) poses for a photograph with East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa during an event in Situbondo on Sunday (25/10/11). The death of Dadang on Thursday (26/11/2020) added to the long list of casualties of regional heads due to Covid-19. At least eight regional heads have died from Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Malang Mayor Sutiaji reminded people to always take care of their health. "Please take care of your health, the 3M protocols [wearing a mask, washing one’s hands with soap and keeping physical distance] must always be adhered to. I even issued a circular to all of the state apparatus [ASN] to work from home for 14 working days. Half of the apparatus comes to the office, the other half works from home. They take turns,” he said. (BOW/HLN/JOL/HRS/ BRO/ETA/DIA)