PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin inaugurated the COVID-19 Archives Gallery at the West Java Regional Library and Archives Service Office (Dispusipda), Bandung City, Wednesday (20/12/2023).

Bey Machmudin said that the COVID-19 Archives Gallery is a reminder and lesson on how a pandemic that has hit almost the entire world can be handled in Indonesia, especially in West Java, even when new cases have recently emerged.

Because of this, said Bey, the gallery seems to be a record and a spirit so that West Java residents are not afraid but remain alert to avoid infection.

"With the inauguration of the COVID-19 Archives Gallery, it teaches us that currently the hospital bed occupation rate (BOR) is still safe, the positivity rate is still safe, so the gallery shows how our spirit of success is fighting the COVID-19 wave," said Bey .

"We all know how to do it, namely implementing health protocols, and PHBS (Clean Healthy Living Behavior), then for those who are sick, wear a mask," he added.

Acting Bey Machmudin also recalled how when the COVID-19 pandemic first emerged, there was not a single country that was not confused because no one had ever faced this virus before.

Then, continued Bey, there was also a debate about whether Indonesia would lock down or not, because several developed countries had locked down but not Indonesia.

"This is where such documentation is important. Maybe if there is a difference with other countries that have locked down, there will be an answer. That many of our residents still live on daily income, so imagine if they had to lock down how they would live, it would have an impact on our APBN which is not able to accommodate it," Bey said.

Bey continued, the key word in handling COVID-19 in Indonesia, including in West Java, is that people's safety comes first.

"In any situation, public safety is the main thing, we also discussed vaccination from China first, discussing halal and so on, with the support of various parties including the MUI, vaccination was finally implemented, which is the key to facing COVID-19," said Bey.

Therefore, continued Bey, saving the COVID-19 archives, especially appearing as a gallery, is strategic because it will be a lesson in how to deal with a global problem.

Bey also briefly touched on the issue of digitizing archives. This is important because currently digitalization is a necessity.

"Digitalization is a must and how to store archives properly is an obligation for all of us, so that archives are not damaged due to negligence," he said.

Maintaining and managing records well is very important as learning from experience. About preparedness for emergency situations that may come again in the future.

Head of West Java Dispusipda I Gusti Agung Kim Fajar Wiyati Oka said that COVID-19 is a phenomenal pandemic that has left information records as well as textual archives and new media.

According to Kim, it is hoped that the Archives Gallery will become a collective memory as a cultural heritage for both the present and the future.

Kim explained that the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) has made the West Java Provincial Government a role model for other provinces, districts and cities throughout Indonesia regarding saving this Covid-19 archive gallery.

"West Java is the only one in Indonesia and also in Southeast Asia," said Kim.

He also said that the purpose of establishing the COVID-19 archive gallery was to illustrate West Java's resilience in facing the pandemic. The construction was carried out for 135 calendar days. Consisting of 90 days of construction, 45 days of content preparation.

"This gallery is on the 3rd floor of the West Java Dispusipda office with an area of approximately 324 square meters consisting of Area A to the last which depicts from the beginning of COVID-19 to the success of West Java in facing COVID-19 until there are also testimonials from the public regarding the handling of COVID in West Java," Kim explained.

ANRI Acquisition Director Wawan is proud of the West Java Provincial Government for holding the inauguration event of the COVID-19 Archives Gallery. This indicates that the West Java Provincial Government is implementing the national archives implementation program well.

"The performance of archives in West Java has shown good things. This is the result of the hard work, smart work of the Head of District and staff, the synergy of Dispusipda with other regional apparatus which concentrates on archival work for all regional apparatus in West Java Province," he concluded.