Indonesians outside of Hubei province in China are mired in difficulties. Limited access due to the new coronavirus lockdown has depleted their supplies of goods.
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·4 minutes read
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – After successfully evacuating Indonesians living in Hubei province, China, and returning them to Indonesian territories, the Indonesian government is expected to give more attention and aid to Indonesians living outside of Hubei in China. They are starting to run out of supplies, including food.
Wuhan in Hubei province is the epicenter of the new coronavirus’ spread. The pneumonia case caused by the virus first emerged in Wuhan in December 2019. Later, Hubei was quarantined by the Chinese government. Now, there are 17,485 positive new coronavirus cases and 362 deaths worldwide.
On Sunday (2/2/2020), the Indonesian government evacuated 238 Indonesians from Hubei. Prior to returning them to their families, they were first placed on Natuna Island, Riau Islands, to be observed for 14 days at the Class-III integrated military hospital of the Raden Sadjad Air Force Base.
Logistical difficulties
Indonesians living outside Hubei are facing logistical challenges as the local government has imposed travel limitations to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. Some of these Indonesians wish to return home but face the travel ban.
We are sustaining ourselves using what we have left since before Chinese New Year.
Indonesian Shafa Raissalya, 20, who studies at the International Business Department of the Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College (JFPSC), said that a travel ban was imposed in Huai’an in Jiangsu province, some 770 kilometers away from Wuhan – almost equal to the distance between Jakarta and Surabaya.
“We need more food, masks, hand sanitizer and vitamins. Shops and markets in Huai’an have been closed since the Chinese New Year holiday. We are sustaining ourselves using what we have left since before Chinese New Year,” Shafa said on Monday (3/2).
Around 500 students are still trapped in the area following the outbreak. Shafa said 36 Indonesian students at JFPSC were still trapped in the city. They mostly consume rice and vegetable. Meat and fish are left uneaten due to fears of contracting the disease.
She said food supply would only be enough for another three days. Another solution is to order food online through an application. “If we cook by ourselves, we spend Rp 40,000 [US$2.91] per person per week. If we order online, we can spent Rp 30,000 – Rp 40,000 per person per meal,” she said.
Another JFPSC international business student Cholifah, 19, said that they coordinated with the Indonesian Consulate General in Shanghai and the China branch of the Indonesian Student Association (PPI). The consulate general has provided them with masks, vitamins and snacks, but these have run out.
“We have limited money as we have purchased flight tickets twice. The first flight was cancelled but we have yet to be refunded. We will use the money we have left to purchase bus tickets if the second flight is a go,” Cholifah said.
We have limited money as we have purchased flight tickets twice.
Shafa said that the first flight on Scoot was cancelled after Singapore imposed a China travel ban. The second flight on Thai Lion Air may be cancelled as well, after Indonesia imposed its travel ban starting from 5 February. “My ticket is for 6 February,” she said.
She continued that she had planned to go home since 27 Jan. 2020, but she could not gather enough money. Students ended up purchasing tickets on dates with cheap fares.
In order to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, the Indonesian government on Sunday declared a temporary travel ban to and from mainland China starting from Wednesday (5/2/2020).
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that flights should provide compensation, such as refunding or replacing the flight tickets. The government is collecting the data on affected flights and trying to find a solution.
While in Sukajaya district, Bogor regency, West Java, on Monday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said that he appreciated the evacuation team that picked up Indonesians in Hubei. On the other hand, the President requested for generosity from people in Natuna to receive the evacuees during the observation period.
Meanwhile, Natuna Regent Abdul Hamid Rizal said his government was never involved in the plan to quarantine 238 Indonesians in the region. To prevent the virus from spreading, he had ordered that all local elementary and middle schools be closed for 14 days, until the quarantine period in Natuna ends.