Our success in drastically reducing (the daily infection rate) from 56 thousand to only 100 cases is because of our mutual assistance that proves Pancasila has remained among our peopleBandung, West Java (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has praised Pancasila values, saying they have helped bolster citizens' willingness to provide mutual assistance and tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.
Pancasila values have boosted citizens' spirit to help the country reduce its COVID-19 infection rate from 56 thousand daily cases by mid-2021 to just a hundred by early 2022, the President said while delivering a public lecture at Parahyangan Catholic University in Bandung, West Java, on Monday.
"Our success in drastically reducing (the daily infection rate) from 56 thousand to only 100 cases is because of our mutual assistance that proves Pancasila has remained among our people," he added.
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During the pandemic, community members have helped each other, for instance, by allowing their houses to be used as isolation facilities for their neighbors, he pointed out.
"Those who are sufficed are willing to provide basic needs for those who are in trouble; this also exhibits that Pancasila values are being implemented by our people," the President remarked.
Pancasila values have also boosted the people's willingness to assist in expediting vaccinations nationwide, he said while pointing out that 30 provinces have recorded 70 percent vaccination coverage, which means more than 297 million residents have been vaccinated.
"Injecting the vaccine dose 297 million times to (residents) in 500 cities and districts scattered across 17 thousand islands in 34 provinces is not an easy task. Some others even needed to take a boat journey (to distribute the vaccines)," Widodo noted.
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The President also lauded members of the society, volunteers, and police and military officers for their efforts in national COVID-19 handling.
"I also laud the military and the police who have fully supported our vaccination drives to help our country reach the fourth-highest vaccination rate globally," he remarked.
Besides delivering the public lecture, the President also inaugurated the recently-completed Arntz-Geize Learning Centre building at the Catholic university.
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Translator: Bagus Ahmad R, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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