Jokowi Admits Govt Does Not Disclose All Coronavirus Reports

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo admitted that the government did not expose all information related to the spread of the coronavirus infection to the public. He said this step was taken to avert excessive public panic.

“I’d like to say this once more that the mitigation of COVID-19 pandemic remains our concern,” said the President at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Tangerang, Friday, March 13.

He said the government initially planned to convey all data related to virus infection cases. However,considering the possible public unrest and patients’ condition post-recovery, the idea was called off.

Since four cases were announced in Indonesia, the government no longer disclosed data about patients.

Even though the personal data of patients should not be provided to the public, the government did not inform about where the patients got infected and which hospital they were being treated in.

“Each country has its own state policies. But every time a new cluster emerges, the acceleration team immediately guards against it,” he underlined.

Jokowi further asserted that the coronavirus transmission was rapid and transnational. Last week, 80 countries dealt with this virus pandemic, and the number increased to 117 states within a week, he added.

EGI ADYATAMA