TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An epidemiologist with the University of Indonesia, Pandu Riono, viewed that President Joko Widodo or Jokowi should directly intervene in the Covid-19 mitigation as active cases keep highly increasing.

"President should no longer appoint those who are deemed 'have the power'. He has to directly intervene, don't just give orders," Pandu said in a webinar heald by UI alumni association, Saturday, September 19.

Riono viewed the pandemic should be handled with a modern management system and by competent people. This is related to the appointment of Minister Erick Thohir and Minister Luhut in the team of Covid-19 mitigation in 9 provinces.

"[The president] can't just name those who are trusted, but it should be based on the competence," he said.

Indonesian Pediatric Society chief Aman Bhakti Pulungan shared the same opinion, adding that the government should not let the regional heads to handle the pandemic based on the characteristic of each region as the status of Covid-19 is a national disaster.

He feared that regions would come up with their own improvisations and interpretations.

Aman likened the pandemic with a war. Therefore, the instruction should be under one command, which is the central government.

"Take a look at Malaysia, they handled Covid-19 centrally and they did it well," he remarked.

Read: Jokowi: Pandemic Teaches Us To Be More Independent

DEWI NURITA