Those Against Jokowi (4)
As predicted, the opposition is using the COVID-19 crisis as a momentum to move against President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. A hashtag #JKWMelanggarKonstitusi (Jokowi violates the Constitution), which has the same narrative raised by the three political parties outside of the Government, trended on the social media platform Twitter. At the heart of this political move is the Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) No. 1/2020 that the President issued for providing a special stimulus in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those by Jokowi’s Side (3)
Like the ruling party PDIP, the Golkar Party also defends President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision to issue the Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) No. 1/2020—aimed to provide a special stimulus for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Golkar’s support is important for the President given the Party is the second largest political party in Indonesia.
Jokowi & Terawan
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo stood up for the Minister of Health Lt. Gen. dr. Terawan Agus Putranto amidst criticism of the minister’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The President said Terawan has worked hard in mitigating the pandemic. We can safely say that this is a message from the President to whoever is keen on Terawan’s position.
Spreading Optimism
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo shared his optimism that Indonesia would pass the COVID-19 crises safely. The President said that the peak of the pandemic would come in May, with a downward trend going to July 2020. Jokowi made the statement last night (April 22) in an exclusive interview with Najwa Shihab that aired on Trans7, a television station owned by businessman Chairul Tanjung (CT).
Those by Jokowi’s Side (2)
Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto came forward defending President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo against those criticizing the President’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. Prabowo, who is also the chairman of the Gerindra Party, said that he had witnessed the President’s hard work. Though Prabowo’s statement is expected, it would be interesting to see whether it would tame his own critical party cadres and supporters.
Those Against Jokowi (3)
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) criticized President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his administration for imposing large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) instead of implementing regional quarantine in mitigating the COVID-19 outbreak. As we’ve reported before, the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) also criticized the Government and questioned the accuracy of its data on deaths related to Coronavirus.
Anies, Kalla & Conflict of Interest
Media Indonesia, a news agency owned by media mogul and the Chairman of Nasdem Party Surya Paloh, reported about that, back in February 2020, the Jakarta city administration under the Governor Anies Baswedan paid a commitment fee of Rp200 billion for the Formula E 2021/2022 race season to be held in the capital city. Jakarta paid the amount knowing that the city is the epicenter of the Coronavirus outbreak in Indonesia. It could’ve used the money for mitigating the outbreak, but it chose otherwise.
COVID-19, the Ciptaker Bill, and Workers
Some workers unions in the so-called Indonesian Labor Workers Assembly (MPBI) previously announced their plan to stage a May Day rally in Jakarta on April 30. The MPBI consists of three workers confederations, i.e., Said Iqbal’s KSPI, KSPSI, and KSBSI. The April 30th rally, according to Said Iqbal, will be aimed at protesting the House of Representatives (DPR)’s decision to continue the deliberation of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation. Will the rally go on as planned?
Increased Crime Rate
COVID-19 has put economies on a stand still. Though some sectors (such as food and logistics) have maintained its operability, many are struggling to survive. We’ve heard reports of companies either laying off its workers or putting them on unpaid leave. There are also those opting for pay cuts to keep business afloat. With people out of jobs, the fear is that of increased unrest. The situation would only worsen should we see the economy continue its state of suspended animation. It’s unfortunate that in the midst of this worrying state, the Police have reported an increased crime rate.
Jakarta Today: Whiner in Chief Anies Baswedan
Major news outlets reported that South Korea was slowly returning to work. Its cafes are crowded again, even an Apple Store in Gangnam, Seoul had a queue outside of it. In just a few months, South Korea has brought down its new infection rate to record lows. It reported a single-digit growth last week. The on-going assumption is that South Korea has done well because of its massive testing and contact tracing approach. Indonesia, meanwhile, continues its slow testing capacity increase. It’s particularly odd given that the Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan had said, in late March, that his side was building labs for PCR testing. We’re nearly done with April, so, where are the labs he promised?