TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Yogyakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) on Tuesday criticized the city’s administration for the delayed responses upon assisting its residents that are undergoing Covid-19 self-isolation, mainly in providing them with basic essential needs such as vitamins and staple food.

“Complaints from people in self-isolation are that the government assistance had only arrived after they completed their self isolation,” said Yogyakarta DPRD Speaker Nuryadi in a meeting with the local government on July 6.

He assessed the issue and argues that the main problem lies in the lack of coordinated information on people in isolation and the data logged by the local coronavirus task force. The DPRD speaker said the city funds itself in the government assistance program and should act swiftly and utilize the regional budget and ‘village funds.’

Nuryadi also highlighted the public announcement from the region’s governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono who called for local communities to provide support for each other.

“The call encouraging people to act isn’t wrong, but it would be truly better if the government is present and actively assisting in these types of situations,” he said.

In the same coordination meeting, the Yogyakarta secretary Kadarmanta Baskara Aji announced that the local government has prepared Rp7 billion to fund the programs assisting Covid-19 patients who are not under self-isolation but are in quarantine centers.

Read also: Over 8,000 Yogyakarta Children, Teenagers Exposed to Covid-19

PRIBADI WICAKSONO