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The Handling of Covid-19 in the Eyes of Netizens

Name: The Handling of Covid-19 in the Eyes of Netizens
Uploaded: 2020-04-14T07:14:14Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: The government’s decision to impose large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) has given rise to controversy. Various hashtags for and against the policy have livened up the debate over the PSBB.

The government’s decision to impose large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) has given rise to controversy. Various hashtags for and against the policy have livened up the debate over the PSBB.

SUSANTI AGUSTINA S

· 9 minutes read

The government has decided to enforce large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) through health quarantine. This policy has readily sparked discussions on social media. Different hashtags supporting and rejecting the policy have been debated on Twitter, even long before the policy was announced.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo emphasized that with the PSBB status, the National Police could take legal action against those considered in violation of the rules in force. Law enforcement applied to such violators is meant to ensure that the PSBB can be effectively implemented and achieve its objectives.

The PSBB policy refers to Law No.6/2018 on Health Quarantine. To support its implementation, the government has issued two rules, which are the Government Regulation (PP) on Large-scale Social Restrictions (PP No.21/2020) and the Presidential Decree on Health Emergency.

Also read : Depok Residents Fight Against Outbreak

With the regulations, the President asked the regional heads not to issue their own policies and to remain in coordination with the central government through the COVID-19 task force chairman. The PSBB can be proposed by governors/mayors to the Health Minister with the considerations of the Task Force Chairman, or can be proposed by the Task Force Chairman to the Health Minister.

At the same time, the public was asked to maintain social distancing in order to break the chain of virus transmission. Maintaining social distancing and restricting all entry and exit accesses to and from a region are deemed effective for controlling the spread of COVID-19.

Also read : Analyzing the Global Spread of Covid-19

Pros and cons

The PSBB has promptly triggered arguments for and against the policy on Twitter. Such hashtags as #negarasantuyrakyatambyar, #negaraabaikanrakyat, #prioritaskannyawarakyat have enlivened Twitter since 1 April 2020. #prioritaskannyawarakyat even recorded 127,000 tweets until 17.00 West Indonesia Time (WIB) on 1 April 2020.

Before deciding to enforce the PSBB, the government had considered imposing civil emergency status. The civil emergency plan directly drew netizens’ debate on Twitter. It was noticeable in the peaking hashtag #tolakdaruratsipil with more than 150,000 tweets on 30 March until 14.00 WIB.

Also read : Lessons from Quarantine at Kampung Hitu

The government was seen as capable of utilizing whatever means to impose restrictions if the civil emergency policy was chosen. Even the deployment of security forces and the use of repressive methods would likely be carried out.

As a result, social media especially Twitter were crowded with public arguments about the policy to be adopted by the government in the effort to overcome Covid-19. The call for lockdown or regional quarantine to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus causing Covid-19 was resonating.

Appeal for lockdown

The appeal for lockdown or regional quarantine reverberated to persuade the government to be responsible for its citizens, even with the urge for a revolution through the hashtag #rakyatsiaprevolusi, which scored 7,417 tweets at 15.30 on 31 March 2020.

The civil emergency option mentioned by the President as one of the possible measures to deal with Covid-19 became a trendy topic on Twitter. The hashtag #tolakdaruratsipil appeared as a form of rejection of the President’s plan. The tweets of #tolakdaruratsipil even totaled 150,000 until 14.30 on 30 March 2020.

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The account @Dic2_Emotion expressed its distrust of the government even with the tweet “They can\'t be trusted. Let’s fight ourselves #tolakdaruratsipil #LockDownIndonesia”. There was also the call to work together against civil emergency and impose lockdown in Indonesia. One account, @AnjaniSekarjati, tweeted “To all the medical teams out there #covid19 #tolakdaruratsipil#sinergitascegahcovid19.”

The appeal for the government’s responsibility to spend funds to compensate for the needs of citizens while they have to stay at home also came from the account @cremebrulee2703 with the tweet “Dear government, please feed your frickin’ people so we can stay at home #tolakdaruratsipil”.

The account @Muh451m1 refused civil emergency while making an allusion to the authorities being at odds with each other in overcoming Covid-19, as evident in its tweet “People are joining hands. But government circles are at odds ...ah my lovely country…Loudly crying face #tolakdaruratsipil”

Also read : Physical and Mental Health During COVID-19

On the other hand, netizens supporting the government’s policy were speaking out loud. The hashtag #awasprovokasilockdown cautioned the public against the call for lockdown or regional quarantine seen as coming from those who merely loathed the government. #awasprovokasilockdown started gaining a rising trend at 12.00 WIB on 31 March 2020. But at 17.00 WIB it listed 21,000 tweets.

Let’s share the same vision and mission to support the government.

An account like @RizmaWidiono favored the government move to impose the PSBB with the hashtag #awasprovokasilockdown via the tweet “Jokowi has enforced large-scale social restrictions along with the civil emergency policy as a right step. Indonesia will not apply lockdown to face coronavirus. Those who have strongly appealed for lockdown are the ones currently voicing their outcry against civil emergency. Please understand #awasprovokasilockdown.”

The account @realPriGim also invited netizens to support the government measures in the management of Covid-19 by tweeting “#awasprovokasilockdown. It’s a mature and thoroughly calculated government policy... Although no policies are perfect but at least this is the best for the INDONESIAN NATION... Let’s share the same vision and mission to support the government.”

See also the account @AvatarPemburu that referred to Said Didu via the tweet “Said Didu can WFH as BuzzeRP getting Rp1-bn payment with people’s money to shout out lockdown so that the state is in chaos. 90 million casual workers can’t WFH, earning less than Rp100,000 daily to make ends meet, expecting the state to avoid lockdown. #awasprovokasilockdown. What’s your conscience siding with?”

The other hashtag that also countered netizens’ annoyance of the policy to be applied by the government in controlling Covid-19 was #sinergicegahcorona. This hashgtag gathered 230,000 tweets until 17.00 WIB ton 31 March 2020.

The hashtag was considerably contributed by police public relations accounts in various regions like the one done by the Ngadirejo precinct police account @HNgadirejo via the tweet “In the effort to overcome Covid-19, the Indonesian Military, National Police and regional administrations work in synergy to eradicate the coronavirus causing Covid-19 by conducting mass sprayings in different points all over Indonesia. #sinergitascegahcovid19.”

Disappointment

The hashtags disappointed by the government management of Covid-19 that was described as slow and unaccountable continued to fill the cyber world on April Fool’s Day.

The disappointed with the government lingered until 1 April, still with the appearance of the hashtag #negaraabaikanrakyat that that getting trendy at 12.00 WIB on 1 April 2020, later accumulating 78,000 tweets at 15.00 WIB.

The hashtag #negarasantuyrakyatambyar also emerged with an allusion to the government deemed inattentive to its citizens now facing Covid-19 on their own. The hashtag #negarasantuyrakyatambyar noted its growing trend on 1 April at 13.00. Within an hour, at 14.00 WIB its tweets reached 37,000.

The government was regarded as not prioritizing the lives of citizens. It was as tweeted by the account @MentariPerubah2, “The economy can recover... human lives won’t return...just think about it...if your conscience remains #prioritaskannyawarakyat #negarasantuyrakyatambyar. An account also voiced the same tone like @AfifahYunita96 via the tweet “People’s lives should be safeguarded by the state #prioritaskannyawarakyat #nyawatidakbisabalik.”

The hashtag #prioritaskannyawarakyat even scored 127K tweets at 17.00 WIB on 1 April 2020. The tweets of #prioritaskannyawarakyat saw the government as only using speech and rhetoric without any clear action in dealing with Covid-19.

An account, @Ben_Mashoor, tweeted “When they are all cleverly making rhetoric, they play the role of the powers that be, when they feel they are superpowers, there the disaster sets in. The top priority of a committed leader is the needs and interests of the people #prioritaskannyawarakyat”.

Another account, @InqilabiKhansa, tweeted “Hey people’s representatives, it’s your duty to guarantee all the rights of people, to give solutions to all problems. You shouldn’t be hiding and seeking a safe haven for yourselves >> #prioritaskannyawarakyat #negarasantuyrakyatambyar”.

Nonetheless, amid the prevailing disappointment, there were also hashtags that became a popular trend in early April in a tone supporting the government policy on the management of Covid-19 by imposing large-scale social restrictions.

The hashtag #cekalcoronadukungpsbb at 14.00 WIB on 1 April 2020 gathered 16,000 tweets. Another hashtag with a growing trend from 10.00 a.m. on 1 April 2020 was #kesadaranmemicuperubahan. This #kesadaranmemicuperubahan even registered 73,000 tweets at 15.00.

Support and prayers were pouring in via netizens’ tweets with the hashtags #cekalcoronadukungpsbb and #kesadaranmemicuperubahan. The account @Bentalakelam tweeted “Our prayers are always with you Mr. Jokowi. We ❤ you & support you for the best things that you did and do. Stay strong for the Unitary State, for us #CekalCoronaDukungPSB”.

Appreciation was also given to the government considered responsive to public needs during the Covid-19 epidemic period. One account appreciated the policy to give a three-month exemption from electricity subscriptions and discounts for residents with KWH-450 and KWH-900 power supply.

The account @AriestaRiico tweeted “Amid the pandemic situation we should have a single command. We should be mutually strengthening, reminding, and just stay at home. Avoid disputes, politicization and blaming each other. Thank God President @jokowi is responsive and shows concern by allowing a 3-month exemption from electricity subscriptions and discounts #cekalcoronadukungpsbb”.

Certainly, with the many arguments on Twitter, support for and criticism of the policy on Covid-19 management will keep going in the cyber world. Eventually everything boils down to the government’s capability of coping with the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia now being put to the test. (KOMPAS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT DIVISION)

Editor:

Syahnan Rangkuti

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