Civil Coalition: Govt Not Ready to Enforce Social Distancing

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Civil Society Coalition said that the government's social distancing policy is not enforced properly. Migrant Care activist Anis Hidayah said that Indonesian law does not know the term 'social distancing'. 'Social limitation', however, is stipulated in Law No.6/2018 on Health Quarantine.

Article 59 of that Law said that large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) are part of the public health emergency (KKM) protocol. Thus, to declare national social restrictions, the government should first declare a health emergency status.

What the government declared was the status of a national disaster.

"If we implement PSBB, we must close schools and workplaces. Right now, social distancing is only suggested to individuals. Workplaces and corporations are not implementing it," Anis said in a written statement on Tuesday, March 17.

The coalition also said that the social distancing policy does not come with excellent coordination between the central government, regional governments and other sectors. He pointed at the queue of Transjakarta and MRT bus passengers in Jakarta, yesterday.

He blamed it on how companies are not complying with the recommendation to send employees working from home, while public transportation was reduced in volume.

"What's worse is, we are seeing an unhealthy communication between the President and the Governor of Jakarta," he remarked.

According to Anis, in times of crisis like this—where people's safety is at stake, leaders should forget all kinds of individual or political competition and work together on managing disasters.

"Humanitarian interests must come above political interests," he said.

He also said that the social distancing policy is not accompanied by an increase in the capacity and availability of hospital services. Although the government has announced a number of hospitals prepared to deal with Coronavirus patients, the reality on the field shows the opposite.

A number of reports have revealed how poor the services and responses of hospitals in Jakarta to residents asking to be tested.

"The poor response of hospitals shows how they are not ready at all, especially when dealing with patients from the general public—the common people," he stressed.

In addition, government policies and measures have not been accompanied by effective global cooperation. The government should be able to learn and collaborate internationally, including accepting lab tests, personnel, and medical analysis technology.

"That way, this outbreak can be overcome more quickly in Indonesia. To face crisis and save citizens, it is ridiculous to act tough," he said.

Ahmad Faiz Ibnu Sani