PALANGKA RAYA – EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION BUREAU. Central Kalimantan Vice Governor H. Edy Pratowo attended a Video Conference on Coordination Meeting for Evaluation of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) Implementation and COVID-19 Handling for regions outside Java-Bali, located in the Vice Governor’s Meeting Room, Governor’s Office, Palangka Raya on Saturday (21/8/2021) afternoon.

Also being present to accompany the Vice Governor in the Coordination Meeting were the Head of the Health Office Suyuti Syamsul and Acting Head of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (BPBPK) who is also the Chief Executive of the Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Task Force Erlin Hardi.

The Coordination Meeting was chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, and was also attended virtually by the Heads of related Ministries/Institutions, including the Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Deputy Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara, and the Head of the National Agency Disaster Management (BNPB) Lt. Gen. TNI Ganip Warsito.

In his foreword, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto explained that this coordination meeting was held in order to evaluate the implementation of PPKM and the handling of COVID-19 outside Java and Bali in the last 2 weeks. “This meeting discusses the evaluation of 2 weeks of PPKM outside Java and Bali,” said Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto.

After delivering his foreword, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs then gave the opportunity to the Heads of the relevant Ministries/Institutions to provide explanations and directions, including the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, the Deputy Minister of Finance, and the Head of BNPB, as well as several officials representing the Minister of Health, the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the Attorney General.

On that occasion, the Minister of Home Affairs emphasized to Regional Heads together with the members of Regional Leadership Coordination Forum to encourage the effectiveness of PPKM implementation. “The problem is only in the field of implementation. What is necessary once again, is the courage and seriousness from all Regional Heads supported by the members of Regional Leadership Coordination Forum so that upstream areas can really dare to take steps, to limit mobility and crowds and to wear masks, “ said the Minister of Home Affairs.

“And if it is done, the confirmation number will definitely go down, and if the confirmation number goes down, the burden from hospitals will automatically decrease, the BOR will decrease. And if the BOR burden decreases, the community will automatically receive proper treatment, so that the case fatality rate will also be reduced,” explained the Minister of Home Affairs.

After the presentations and directions from the Ministers and Heads of related Institutions, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto requested reports on the progress of handling COVID-19 from several provinces whose trend of COVID-19 cases was not showing a decline, including North Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Jambi, North Sumatra, Bangka Belitung Island, East Kalimantan, and South Sulawesi.

Closing this coordination meeting, Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that the results of the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of PPKM outside Java and Bali will be reported directly to the President, to later get directions on the next policy to be taken. “We will report this to the President, and the President will give directions,” concluded the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs.

Furthermore, this coordination meeting was attended virtually via video conference by the Governors/Vice Governors, Territorial Military Commanders, Regional Police Chiefs, Regional Military Commanders, Chief Prosecutors, and several Regents/Mayors from a number of provinces in the island of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua. (set/translated by feb)