President\'s Message Is Not Enough

SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN

President Joko Widodo gave a statement regarding the ban on Lebaran exodus (mudik), Friday (16/4/2021).

Last week, President Joko Widodo, through the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube account, conveyed a message asking people to refrain from the traditional Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) this year around. However, such an appeal is not enough.

President Jokowi\'s explanation was very clear. The government has banned the exodus because it has learned from four previous experiences. During the 2020 Idul Fitri holiday, the public holiday periods from 20-23 August 2020 and from 28 October-1 November 2020 as well as the Christmas and New Year holidays from 24 December 2020-3 January 2021, there was an extraordinary increase in daily Covid-19 cases and weekly mortality rates. The number of daily active cases skyrocketed from 78 to 119 percent and weekly death rates soared from 46 to 75 percent from before.

Also read: Government Pledges Stricter Control of Exodus Ban

The President also expressed worry that the downtrend in active Covid-19 cases seen in the last two months, or the number of daily new cases in Indonesia, which has also declined, cannot be maintained. Instead of continuing to improve, it might even jump high. The hard work of all parties would be in vain.

Learning from cases in India and Thailand, religious celebrations or holidays, if not accompanied by discipline in health protocols, can trigger an increase in Covid-19 cases that brings the number even much higher than before. India, which had been declared successful in handling Covid-19 because it succeeded in reducing the number of cases drastically, is now hit by the Covid-19 tsunami. It’s scary.

Also read: Maintain Consistency

KOMPAS/KRISTI DWI UTAMI

A police officer stops a vehicle at rest area 275 A, Penarukan Village, Adiwerna District, Tegal Regency, Central Java, Saturday (17/4/2021). The police appealed to the public to always implement health protocols and comply with government regulations regarding the prohibition of lebaran (Eid Al-Fitr) exodus (mudik).

Based on data from the Health Ministry, the number of Covid-19 patients at a number of regional hospitals began to show an increase in mid-April. Meanwhile, full vaccination with two injections has only reached 5.9 million people. A possible increase needs to anticipated. The government has prohibited civil servants, Indonesian Military (TNI)/ National Police (Polri) personnel, employees of state-owned enterprises and private-sector employees from going on exodus. However, a big question mark remains as to how effective that ban is. Even when bans or restrictions on mass travel periods are enforced, more than a few people find ways around it. For instance, they head out to their hometowns sooner than usual.

Also read: Negligence Triggers Spike in Covid-19 Cases

Communicating to people the dangers of mass travel amid the rise of new variants of Covid-19 that are more quickly transmitted is crucial. All communication channels need to be used. The President as the head of state needs to mobilize all national forces, from the central apparatus down to the heads of neighborhood units (RT), religious leaders, community organizations, education and the press to make people aware of the dangers of the exodus for the safety of themselves, their families, their relatives and parents in their hometowns and the nation as a whole.

Everyone makes mistakes, but only the wise learn from their mistakes.

Aesop, the Greek fable writer, said only donkeys fall in the same hole twice. Donkeys are analogous to stupid and stubborn animals. We are certainly not a nation of donkeys. After four holiday periods and soaring Covid-19 case numbers in this country, we must strive to find effective ways to prevent a similar phenomenon.

Also read: The World Enters Critical Stage of the Pandemic Again

"Everyone makes mistakes, but only the wise learn from their mistakes," said Winston Churchill, prime minister of Great Britain from 1940-1945 and from 1951 to 1955, also a journalist. May we become a wise nation.

This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko.