VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Fadjroel Rachman, the presidential spokesman, opined that Indonesia was yet in the stage of making preparations to usher in the new normal.

"If we follow the directives of the president, (we are) now still imposing the large-scale social distancing (PSBB) measures. In the second stage, it will be preparations for the new normal," Fadjroel Rachman remarked during a visit to the editorial office of ANTARA news agency at Wisma Antara in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Rachman noted that the key takeaways to adapting to the new normal were always wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing, avoiding crowds, and washing hands frequently.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has until now walked the talk in terms of preparing for the new normal, he pointed out.

"The president believes in being a role model (for the implementation) of the new normal by meeting people and setting an example," he stated.

He cited as examples the president's activities, including exercising, maintaining safe distance, and performing Friday prayers by abiding by the health protocols to serve as the role model.

Jokowi had earlier appealed to Indonesians and businesses entities, in particular, to prepare to coexist with COVID-19 that would necessitate a new normal of social distancing and observance of health protocols.

The head of state affirmed that for the country fighting the pandemic since early March this year, finding ways to coexist with COVID-19 would not imply giving up the fight against the deadly virus.

In its place, it would involve conducting normal activities in a peaceful, safe, productive, and comfortable manner by adhering to the new health protocols to safeguard against the spread of coronavirus since currently, vaccines had yet to be developed against the infection.

The head of state highlighted the need to always prioritize public safety.

In preparation for transitioning to a new normal amid the lingering pandemic, the government is drafting protocols for various activities to ensure unwavering focus on public safety and health. (ANTARA)

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will attend a virtual meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries to discuss Israel's plan to annex Palestinian territories, the foreign affairs ministry noted in a statement, Tuesday.

The OIC's Extraordinary Ministerial Conference, to be held online on Wednesday (June 10), will be chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in his capacity as chair of the OIC Executive Committee.

Discussions at the meeting will center on the current situation in Palestine, specifically Israel's plan to annex parts of the West Bank, Palestine, after an agreement to form a coalition government between Benjamin Netanyahu and General Benny Gantz.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Marsudi will express the Indonesian government's views on the issue in addition to proposals on concrete steps that the OIC should contemplate on to avert Israel’s planned annexation.

The OIC foreign ministers are expected to issue a resolution at the end of the meeting.

The resolution will encompass lending encouragement to all OIC member states to take political, legal, and economic steps in response to Israel's planned annexation of Palestinian territories.

The Palestinian government has reportedly submitted a resolution at the United Nations to denounce Israel's planned annexation of the West Bank and Jordan Valley.

Earlier, during a virtual meeting of the United Nations Security Council on May 27, Minister Marsudi had called on Israel to stop its annexation plan.

The minister also contacted UN Secretary General Antnio Guterres, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, and several foreign ministers from members of the OIC, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), European Union (EU), and other international organizations and institutions in connection with the issue.

"In a letter (whose copies I sent to high-ranking officials from friendly countries), I mentioned that the annexation not only threatened peace and stability in the region but also dampened all efforts to find a solution to the Palestinian issue," she stated. Hence, the minister called on the international community to work hand-in-hand to uphold commitments to mutually agreed international law and agreements.

Indonesia, a firm supporter of Palestine's struggle for independence, has no diplomatic ties with Israel as Indonesia's Constitution has highlighted the nation's anti-colonialism policy. (ANTARA)

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has said the Indonesian government and citizens will face tougher challenges in the new normal era compared to the period when large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) were enforced to curb coronavirus infections.

"We have entered a transition period as we usher in the new normal. This situation (transition to the new normal) would be more difficult for the community compared to the PSBB period," the Vice President said in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Amin further said that the rules enforced during the PSBB period led to the majority of people halting activities to break the chain of COVID-19 spread. However, during the transition from PSBB to the new normal, some people would have to resume going to work again.

"It was relatively easier to maintain social distancing (during the PSBB period), as learning, worship, and working activities were conducted from home," he explained.

Now, there are a number of activities that can be carried out — albeit with some limitations — as restrictions are being relaxed, but there is still potential for COVID-19 transmission, he cautioned, urging citizens to follow health protocols more strictly in the transition period and in the new normal era.

"Otherwise, this could lead to an increase in COVID-19 transmission. As of now, it is relatively under control, so we can enter the new normal; but, the key is public compliance with health protocols," he stressed.

In addition, the economy is also facing challenges that must be worked on together as productivity stopped during the PSBB period, he noted. He said he believed the problem must be addressed early to prevent an economic crisis.

"If we let the economic downturn continue, we will not (be able to) overcome it; it could be very dangerous. It could become a crisis and it would be too difficult, too heavy to recover from that later on," he remarked.

Therefore, both the community and the government need to pay attention to the two issues of public compliance with health protocols and economic decline in order to rise and become productive in the new normal era, he said. (ANTARA)

Dr. Yogi Prabowo, the president, medical volunteer, concurrently the founder of MER-C

The Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) Indonesia has appealed to Indonesian public and health workers to make collective efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in the path to realizing a disease-free nation.

The COVID-19 response mechanism in Indonesia must be conducted through proper crisis management so as not to create new problems, Dr. Yogi Prabowo, the president, medical volunteer and concurrently MER-C founder, noted in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Furthermore, Prabowo cautioned that in the wake of the crisis, certain irresponsible parties or groups could derive undue advantage by exploiting a divided nation to further their own interests.

"Indeed, a country being affected by a disaster becomes the locus minoris for a foreign power to invade and control it. Let us, fellow nationals, realize this immediately. It is better to unite and save this country from adversity and the threat of other parties attempting to control the country," Prabowo remarked.

He called to expedite the laboratory process for COVID-19 tests to avert friction between community members and health workers on the field.

Prabowo expounded that apprehensive people demand timely certainty on whether their family members are protected from COVID-19 infection owing to the socio-spiritual impacts.

On the other hand, medical workers striving ceaselessly to help patients are compelled to tender detailed explanations to their families during a complicated situation while awaiting results of COVID-19 tests that could take a long time, he remarked.

The government should be in a position to offer an explanation on the legal aspects of the disaster to the community, so that the burden is not solely borne by health workers, who are confronted by the families of anxious patients, he explained.

"In the midst of this situation, the emotional well-being of health workers is at risk," he stated.

Hence, Prabowo has invited all parties to work together and desist from creating new problems in the midst of the pandemic.

"Both parties (patients' families and health workers) should exercise self-restraint since in the concept of disaster management, one of the keys to success is 'don't make problems in troubled waters' or 'don't ignite fire near gasoline'. Crisis management will determine the success of disaster response. The government, professional organizations, and community leaders should remind the people of the significance of cooperation in dealing with disaster," Prabowo stated.

Recently, several conflicts erupted between the patients' family members and hospitals over the burials of patients suspected of having contracted COVID-19 while the laboratory results were yet pending.

While the results of COVID-19 tests were awaited, several incidents came to light, including one in which the hospitals had decided to bury the patients in accordance with the COVID-19 health protocols, but the deceased patients' families usually rejected such burials and were keen on a normal burial procession. (ANTARA)