Why Do They Still Believe that Covid-19 Doesn’t Exist? The Challenge of Democracy in Post-Covid in Indonesia

It has not been a year since the announcement of Joko Widodo and KH. Ma'ruf Amin as the winner of 2019’s presidential election, the Covid-19 pandemic has spread worldwide, including Indonesia. The resonance raised fears of the collapse of the economy and other sectors after the outbreak and brought forward a motion not to trust the government to deal with COVID-19. It is natural, in democracy, there are always pro-contra about the policy between those who believe or not in COVID-19. Even though the government policies deal with situations, such as closing places of worship and doing vaccination programs to reduce the victims, some people have rejected it. Using qualitative research methods and theoretical analysis on identity politics initiated by Manuel Castells, this article finds a link between identity politics and compliance against the policy of Covid-19 under Joko Widodo’s rule, which was shrouded in excessive religious fanaticism, and resistance to government policies today. However, other indications also show that the government's firmness on public opinion who does not support them is considered a new authoritarian regime to restrict the freedom of speech to those who are anti-government; this also will encourage resistance.