Caesar Akbar, Jakarta – The Independent Journalist Alliance or AJI Jakarta condemned the face-to-face press conference held by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment in relation to the delivery of aid from China. The event took place at Angkasa Pura Cargo 530 Warehouse of Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang on Friday, March 27, 2020.
"AJI Jakarta observes journalists who attended the event did not maintain a social distance and so do the speakers," said AJ Jakarta Chief Asnil Bambani in a written statement on Friday, March 27, 2020.
According to Asnil, such mass gathering contradicts the appeal voiced by Covid-19 mitigation task force and the National Police Chief's Instruction in relation to the government's policy in mitigating the coronavirus pandemic, which underlines the importance of physical distancing.
Asnil suggested reporters participating in the event to take on medical screenings, self-quarantine for 14 days, and also a health test related to Covid-19. Media companies were also expected not to send journalists to places with potential crowds and to monitor those joining the blunder event.
"We ask media companies to uphold the principle of no life-worthy news. The editors must be vigilant if there is something that threatens the safety of their journalists," Asnil remarked. He also called on the task force and the Indonesian Ombudsman to analyze potential violations in the event.
In response to AJI Jakarta's statement, Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment Ministry spokesman Jodi Mahardi expressed apology for not abiding by the physical distancing call in the event. "The number of reporters who attended the event was unexpected. This will be our evaluation and will not be repeated," Jodi underlined.
Jodi said reporters who were present and had symptoms of coronavirus infection or Covid-19 within the next five to seven days, will receive assistance from the Coordinating Ministry to get tests. "We will reach out to the journalists who registered earlier."
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1324691/coronavirus-aji-decries-govts-face-to-face-press-conference