JAKARTA, PRINDONESIA.CO – As the capital city of the country and a city that is densely populated, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is well aware of the potential to become an epicenter of this epidemic is higher than other regions. Quick steps must be done. Atika Nur Rahmania, Head of Informatics Communication and Statistics Department of DKI Jakarta Province (Diskominfotik), through written answers to PR INDONESIA on Saturday (21/03/2020), said that to prevent this pandemic from spreading further, DKI Jakarta Provincial Government immediately coordinated with the Public Health Office of DKI Jakarta Province.

Then, they formed a team for the Covid-19 Acceleration Task Force, invited the call center 112, and created a Covid-19 outbreak monitoring microsite that can be accessed via www.corona.jakarta.go.id. Specifically for the communication team, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government formed the Covid-19 Response Team which was chaired by Catur Laswanto, Head of the Public Relations and Protocol Bureau of DKI Jakarta Province, and consists of joint regional organizations (OPD).

OPD periodically informed the latest developments related to prevention measures and treatment of Covid-19. The information was then compiled by Diskominfotik as the director of publications related to Covid-19 information. The Diskominfotik would send a daily brief to reporters on duty at the City Hall. Then, packaging the information in a form that was easily digested and understood by the public in the form of videos and infographics, and then disseminated to various social media.

Main Attention

The communication aspect is indeed the main concern of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government in dealing with this pandemic. According to Atika, this is in line with the message that is always instilled by their leader, Governor Anies Baswedan.

Like the statement posted by Anies through his Facebook account. "The safety of citizens is first and foremost. That is why we always choose the policy from the beginning to submit open and regular updates to the citizens," he wrote. According to him, this step was a form of government responsibility. He believed that openness and the delivery of factual and regular information would make it easier for Anies and his staff, as well as the citizens, to act properly and avoid unnecessary panic.

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government also believed that the most appropriate communication strategy in the face of this pandemic must be to prioritize empathy and solutions. Like when Governor Anies asked all mosque administrators in Jakarta — before the Indonesian Ulema Council Fatwa to temporarily cancel Friday prayers — broadcast a recorded voice in the form of a message of caution towards Covid-19 during the Friday sermon. He also acted quickly to close schools and conduct teaching and learning activities from home, limit operational hours of public transportation, and call for a temporary halt to office activities to prevent the further spread of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, to make the awareness message more easily understood by the public, the Covid-19 Response Team through Diskominfotik made a campaign video entitled "Don't Panic! Covid-19 Prevention Tips" and a preventive video for checking body temperature and good hand washing. They also invite the influencer @Kojekrapbetawi to arrange a theme song for Covid-19 outbreak prevention.

Although in the end the Task Force Team was overhauled based on the Presidential Decree No. 7 of 2020, the public appreciated the quick actions and transparent communication that Anies and his staff had carried out. Atika ensured that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government would comply with the decision. In the new team, Catur’s role was replaced by DKI Jakarta Provincial Government Secretary. The team also included the Regional Leaders Communication Forum (Forkopimda) from the Indonesian National Army, National Police, the High Prosecutors Office, the High Court, and wider elements such as the health, media, and public relations associations. (rtn/ais)