JAKARTA (UCAN): Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, issued a nine-page presidential instruction on August 4 enforcing health protocols to curb the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
According to an August 6 statement from the Cabinet Secretariat, the instruction aims to strengthen efforts and improve the effectiveness of prevention measures against Covid-19 across the country.
The move comes amid criticism that the Indonesian government has failed to act more decisively in dealing with the pandemic.
“Governors, district heads and mayors are required to greatly improve the implementation of health protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by involving society, religious, tribal and other public leaders, as well as other social elements,” the instruction said.
Widodo also called on them to formulate and issue policies that include, among others, the mandatory following of health protocols by the public, businesses and those responsible for public facilities such as places of worship.
“(Such policies) include punishing violators of health protocols,” the instruction said. Punishments include oral or written warnings, community service, fines and the temporary suspension of businesses or organisations.
Father Paulus Christian Siswantoko, a member of the Jakarta-based Catholic Network Against Covid-19 (JKMC), welcomed the move but questioned why it hadn’t been done sooner.
“However, better late than never,” he said. “The presidential instruction is the government’s response to the current situation and serves as a medium for various stakeholders to work together in an effective way.”
Father Siswantoko, who is also secretary of the bishops’ Commission for the Laity, said punishments were a necessary evil if measures to curb the Covid-19 pandemic are to work.
“Many still ignore health protocols, so the government must get tough. Punishment of violators is unavoidable,” he said.
As of August 11, Indonesia reported 127,083 total Covid-19 infections, 5,765 deaths with 82,236 recoveries.
