Activists and public health experts have criticized the government for failing to balance between optimistic and cautionary messages in disseminating COVID-19 information, which they say could undermine public health measures to tackle the pandemic.

Indonesia has been struggling to communicate and carry out a consistent and effective response to the current pandemic, owing partly to the sheer complexity of a bureaucracy responsible for more than 260 million people.

As a result, an increasing number of state actors have opted for action that, more often than not, causes friction and confusion as to how best to respond to a multifaceted crisis in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

Anita Wahid, a member of the committee for the Indonesian Anti-Slander Society (Mafindo), said she had noticed recently that the government had a tendency to convey an optimistic tone in its public communications, but without including a message calling for vigilance to prevent transmission.

Anita said she was concerned that, if this were to continue, the public would be split into those who comply with health protocol and those who underestimate the threat of the disease, further dividing society.

The anti-hoax activist noted that, for instance, there were cases where gravediggers were being harassed by bereaved members of a victim’s family for insisting on proper COVID-19 burial protocol. This, Anita said, illustrated a widening rift in society that could lead to even bigger conflict.

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