Mahfud Md Says Coronavirus Not Threatening Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Natuna - Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud Md and his staffers did not wear a facemask as they were getting off from the plane at Raden Sadjad Air Force Base in Natuna, despite its location close to the quarantine site of 238 Indonesians evacuated from China.

“None of us wearing a facemask as we get off the plane. During the trip from the air force base to here, I see people’s living runs as normal. Children are playing, some are sitting on their terrace, some are riding a motorcycle, I feel safe by not wearing a mask,” said Mahfud in Natuna Mayor Office, Riau Island, on Thursday, February 6.

After seeing how people in Natuna doing their normal activities, he concluded that the Wuhan virus does not threaten Indonesia, “because those evacuees are all healthy. So please remain calm, there is no threat related to the virus.”

However, former Constitutional Court chief justice admitted that he did not directly meet the evacuees in the military base, temporary housing for the evacuees, given strict regulations set during the observation that barred them from having direct contact with outside people.

Upon his arrival, Mahfud instantly departed to the office of Natuna Mayor and held a closed meeting with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) that was attended by Mayor Abdul Hamid Rizal and several representatives and community figures of Riau Island.

Mahfud Md underlined that based on the meeting, the locals had accepted Natuna as the observation place for Indonesians from Hubei, the center of the coronavirus outbreak, and there was no further demand lodged by the regional administration and the community.

DEWI NURITA