What considerations have informed the government’s response to Covid-19? What challenges does it face, and does the crisis threaten the government’s legitimacy? Dr Dave McRae chats to President Joko Widodo’s former deputy chief of staff Dr Yanuar Nugroho.
As Indonesia grapples with the spread of Covid-19, a disproportionate burden and risk is being worn by the urban poor. Dr Ian Wilson looks at the ways in which the urban poor are taking action in the face of limited government support.
Why has the Indonesian response to Covid-19 been so ineffective? How can disagreements over its management be resolved? Dr Dirk Tomsa discusses these issues and more with Dr Riris Andono Ahmad in Talking Indonesia.
(Hanya dalam Bahasa Inggris) - Modelling indicates an urgent need for action by the government, health authorities, and the public, writes Ben Phillips.
(Hanya dalam Bahasa Inggris) - Scholars have said China had an “authoritarian advantage” in responding to SARS in 2002-2003. But Robertus Robet writes that in the case of Covid-19, there appears to be no such advantage.
Calls are growing for the government to ban the post-Ramadan exodus to the regions (mudik) to prevent further spread of Covid-19. But as Dr Belinda Spagnoletti writes, mudik is also an important safety net for those living in precarity.
Preparedness for a health disaster in the upcoming months depends on timely management by government, accurate and accessible data and information, and the ‘surge capacity’ of health facilities and workers.
In this week’s Talking Indonesia podcast, Dr Dirk Tomsa discusses the impact of Covid-19 on early childhood education in Indonesia with Dr Vina Adriany, head of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the School of Graduate Studies at UPI, Bandung.