Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Khmer Daily Cambodia News
34 °c
Phnom Penh
  • LATEST
  • CAMBODIA
  • ASIA
    • JAPAN
    • SOUTH KOREA
    • TAIWAN
  • WORLD
    • CHINA
    • RUSSIA
  • BUSINESS CAMBODIA
  • TECHNOLOGY
No Result
View All Result
  • LATEST
  • CAMBODIA
  • ASIA
    • JAPAN
    • SOUTH KOREA
    • TAIWAN
  • WORLD
    • CHINA
    • RUSSIA
  • BUSINESS CAMBODIA
  • TECHNOLOGY
No Result
View All Result
The Khmer Daily
No Result
View All Result
Home ASIA Indonesia

Indonesia’s health minister urged to improve communication skills after series of gaffes over Covid-19

September 30, 2020
in ASIA, Indonesia
0
Indonesia’s health minister urged to improve communication skills after series of gaffes over Covid-19
0
SHARES
13
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s House of Representatives members have called on Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto to rework his communication skills following a series of public gaffes that appear to have persuaded him to lie low despite the country’s battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

In recent months, Mr Terawan seems to have made fewer public appearance after critics lambasted him for creating numerous controversies, including by playing down the Covid-19 threat at the beginning of the outbreak in the country, despite his position leading the national efforts against the coronavirus.

Mr Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, the chairman of House Commission IX overseeing health care, acknowledged that the minister had displayed rather poor communication skills, though he deemed that Mr Terawan had done a good enough job in handling the virus as proven during previous hearings with the legislative body.

Mr Terawan had not been able to inform the public properly about his efforts, therefore causing citizens to question his capabilities, Mr Emanuel said.

“One important issue we have found from the minister and his staff is the lack of public communication skills. (Terawan) has done much, but he doesn’t let the people know,” the Golkar Party politician said on Tuesday (Sept 29).

Mr Muchamad Nabil Haroen of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) voiced similar concerns, saying that the current health crisis had tested Mr Terawan’s leadership and vision as the leading minister in the health sector.

“The minister must improve his public communication strategy. Many ideas and programs are not well communicated to the public, leaving the latter unaware (of the government’s efforts to combat Covid-19),” he said.

Before Indonesia confirmed its first cases of Covid-19 in March, Mr Terawan was under fire for making light of the coronavirus threat and instead asking people to keep praying.

In February, he dismissed a report by Harvard University researchers suggesting that the Southeast Asian country must already have unreported coronavirus cases, calling the study “insulting”.

The blunder was followed by a series of public gaffes that inevitably made Mr Terawan the subject of ridicule on social media.

The most recent criticism he received came in early September, when he appeared to play down Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan’s suggestion that the capital city had to return to full large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) amid an “alarming” shortage of hospital beds, with the minister suggesting that hospitals in Jakarta “could still handle Covid-19 patients.”

Mr Terawan previously also stirred controversy after responding to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s criticism regarding low spending on the health sector despite the country’s struggle to contain Covid-19 transmission, saying the low spending was due to a low number of patients.

Mr Saleh Daulay of the National Mandate Party (PAN) defended Mr Terawan against Mr Joko’s criticism, saying the minister needed time to spend the budget with the additional funding of Rp 25 trillion (S$2.3 billion) coming in the middle of the year.

Mr Terawan was optimistic about spending the budget optimally this year, Mr Saleh said.

“He needs time. He once explained that he allocated around Rp 21 trillion for Covid-19 patients’ medical treatment and the rest was for medical workers’ incentives and medical equipment purchases,” he said.

Mr Saleh went on to call on Mr Terawan to improve coordination among ministries and state agencies since the minister would not be able to handle the situation alone.

“I urge the minister to provide more medical equipment and medicines in regions throughout the country,” Mr Saleh said.

“(Terawan) should also immediately prepare more health workers, lab personnel and specialist doctors in the regions to avoid overcapacity in provincial and central government hospitals, as well as making PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests more accessible and affordable.”

This article was first published in Asia One . All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.

Tags: #coronavirusIndonesia
Previous Post

Ministry and Makro Market in Cambodia link-up to develop food value chain

Next Post

Cambodia is preparing to export beef to Chinese market

Related Posts

Neak Poan Temple is a destination for tourists to visit and take beautiful pictures

Neak Poan Temple is a destination for tourists to visit and take beautiful pictures

by Khmer Times
July 3, 2023
0
92

Neak Poan Temple is one of the most attractive tourist destinations among the ancient temples, which is located along the...

Cambodian pepper gains direct export rights to China

Cambodian pepper gains direct export rights to China

by Khmer Times
July 3, 2023
0
75

The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia announced today that Cambodian pepper has completed all export procedures to China, which means can...

Indonesia Constitutional Court dismisses petition to change voting system

Indonesia Constitutional Court dismisses petition to change voting system

by AsiaOne
June 15, 2023
0
25

JAKARTA - Indonesia's Constitutional Court on Thursday (June 15) rejected a lawsuit seeking a change to the country's election ballot system, a...

Most Popular

$2 million electric motorbike assembly plant in Cambodia by Verywords Co Ltd launched

$2 million electric motorbike assembly plant in Cambodia by Verywords Co Ltd launched

May 30, 2023
48
EZECOM first to collaborate with AWS to provide leading Cloud service for Cambodia

EZECOM first to collaborate with AWS to provide leading Cloud service for Cambodia

March 15, 2022
43
Ford Cambodia, operated by RMA Cambodia, brings vehicles and technical training

Ford Cambodia, operated by RMA Cambodia, brings vehicles and technical training

September 1, 2020
56
Innovation key to Cambodia’s garment industry growth

Innovation key to Cambodia’s garment industry growth

December 3, 2021
16
Tire factory in Cambodia’s Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone officially launched

Tire factory in Cambodia’s Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone officially launched

May 23, 2023
95
Banana orchard tells China’s increasing role in Cambodia’s growth story

Banana orchard tells China’s increasing role in Cambodia’s growth story

June 12, 2023
59

© 2020 By Khmer Daily News

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Cambodia
  • ASIA
  • World
  • Business
  • Tech

© 2019 The Khmer Daily.

error: Content is protected !!