New Normal Should Not Compromise Public Well-being

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian government will keep people's well-being in the center of preparations for the New Normal phase in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

“We will not sacrifice the public’s well-being as we prepare for the new normal. While overcoming the coronavirus is still our priority, we will do so by taking socioeconomic factors into account,” Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko said in a press release on Friday.

Also read: https://go.kompas.com/read/2020/06/10/175725974/indonesia-to-reinstate-tighter-measures-if-covid-19-cases-spike 

“We will continue to tightly enforce health precautions as we wish the public to feel productive and safe [as they go about their daily lives].”

Moeldoko said the government will continue to abide by some key principles in combating the coronavirus.

“These include carefully thought-out policies and close cooperation between [the central government] and provincial administrations as well as public figures at various levels," said the retired general.

“Cooperation with provincial and local governments is important because of the challenges posed by Indonesia’s geography and [large] population. A community-based approach is just as essential as are clear directives and communications at all levels,” he added.

Moeldoko called on the public to be optimistic about the government’s ability to overcome the coronavirus outbreak.

KOMPAS.com/RAKHMAT NUR HAKIM

Presidential Office Spokesperson Fadjroel Rachman acknowledges that the government still has a long way to go in combating the coronavirus outbreak.

“Misinformation about the coronavirus is still rife among the public. As a result, many people still underestimat Covid-19,” he said in a discussion aired on the Rumah Kebangsaan YouTube channel.

“This is inevitable because of diverse population demographics. These include different age groups as well as educational levels.”

Also read: https://go.kompas.com/read/2020/06/08/165606674/jakarta-prepares-to-step-into-the-new-normal 

“There are still people who believe that the coronavirus is God’s will that will eventually go away without preventive measures. Political divisions in the wake of the 2019 presidential election as well as ignorance also play a role,” Fadjroel added, “as are the rapid circulation of hoaxes.”

He believed hoaxes get in the way of efforts to get the public to fully comply with health protocols to stem the spread of coronavirus infections. “We estimated that there have been 845 hoaxes over the past month, specifically 6 May until today [12 June 2020] that have been related to the coronavirus.”