President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has conveyed his skepticism over strict emergency protocols amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that there is no conclusive evidence that indicates lockdowns are effective. His statements, however, immediately drew criticism from the general public on social media, with many saying that lockdowns had helped some countries to flatten the curve. Speaking to television journalist Najwa Shihab at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, Jokowi said that the cost of imposing a lockdown would be astronomical. “Bukan masalah budget. Kita juga belajar dari negara lain apa lockdown itu berhasil menyelesaikan masalah, kan tidak. Coba tunjukkan negara mana yang berhasil melakukan lockdown dan menghentikan masalah ini, nggak ada menurut saya,” kata @Jokowi . #MataNajwaJokowiDiujiPandemi pic.twitter.com/nHvBSubv6U — TRANS7 (@TRANS7) April 22, 2020 “For Jakarta alone, we calculated that we would need Rp 550 billion [US$35.3 million] … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Jokowi draws criticism for statements on lockdown, ‘mudik’