Residents’ Movement Uncontrollable

The reinforced call not to go on mudik (exodus) in the days leading up to Idul Fitri has been unable to prevent the movement of people in the regions. The situation could trigger a second wave of Covid-19 infection.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO (KUM) 21-05-2020

Police officers man the checkpoint at the Cikarang Barat tollgate in Bekasi, West Java, Thursday (21/5/2020). The police are turning back many private vehicles attempting to go on mudik (exodus) to their hometowns for Idul Fitri, while freight and pickup trucks are allowed to enter the toll road.

CILEGON, KOMPAS—Passenger travel ahead of Idul Fitri 1441 Hijriah has become increasingly uncontrollable. The number of people traveling out of their cities or regions has continued to soar over the last few days. Firm and quick measures are needed to manage the situation, which could potentially set off a second surge in cases of Covid-19 in Indonesia.

The increase in the movement of people was visibly noticeable on the Cikopo-Palimanan Toll Road and other thoroughfares. Astra Tol Cipali operation director Agung Prasetyo said on Thursday (21/5/2020) that around 25,000 vehicles had used the toll road on Wednesday (20/5). “The total was about 3,000 [vehicles] higher than the preceding day," added Agung.

An increase in the number of ferry passengers was also recorded at Merak Port in Cilegon, Banten. On Wednesday, 4,422 passengers traveled by ferry to Sumatra, increasing steadily over the three previous days: Tuesday (4,377 passengers), Monday (3,766) and Sunday (2,820).

We have no way of sending them back to their places of origin. We have to let them in.

Meanwhile, thousands of people have arrived in Brebes regency, Central Java, during the mudik ban that runs from 24 April to 31 May 2020. At least 20,817 people have entered Brebes both domestically and internationally several. “We have no way of sending them back to their places of origin. We have to let them in,” said Brebes district secretary Djoko Gunawan.

As many as 293 migrant workers deported from Malaysia arrived yesterday in Batam, the Riau Islands. This has increased the burden of the Batam municipal administration to manage the burgeoning volume of arrivals in the days approaching Idul Fitri.

At Malengkeri Terminal and Daya Regional Terminal in South Sulawesi, transportation services continue to operate. “I’ve been transporting passengers for several days now. I limit the number of passengers to five. But sometimes when an entire family wants to be travel in one car, it can be six [passengers],” said Anwar, 45, a public transport driver at Malengkeri Terminal.

Also read : PSBB Still Faces a Number of Obstacles

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

Shoppers throng a narrow lane of Tanah Abang Market on Thursday afternoon (21/5/2020) in Jakarta. Hundreds of shoppers continued to visit the market for the Lebaran shopping season, with vendors continuing to trade despite public order officers clamping down on the "recalcitrant" market earlier.

Tightening measures

Covid-19 Rapid Response Task Force chief Doni Monardo has asked law enforcement personnel to take strict action against those that violate the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB).

“The PSBB remains in effect, but public compliance is still low. A number of people remain stubborn. It is the task of all of us to guarantee that there will be no second wave [of infection],” said Doni.

Security teams in several areas continue to restrict the movement of people. At Merak Port, for instance, the personnel of a joint team have turned back 25 vehicles.

Also read : The Peak of the Pandemic is Difficult to Determine

“Assuming that each car carries two to three passengers, it means that more than 50 people have attempted to reach Merak Port,” said field command officer Adj. Comr. Deden Komarudin of the Merak Port integrated checkpoint.

Security teams have also refused entry to residents who have lost their jobs that are trying to return to their hometowns in Sumatra, but without the required documents. Most travelers are blocked from entering Merak Port because they do not have the certificate of health declaring them free of Covid-19 infection and a letters of introduction from their regional head.

Also read : Exodus Triggers Case Explosion in the Regions

KOMPAS/MACHRADIN WAHYUDI RITONGA (RTG) 21-05-2020

People crowd together in tight lines on Thursday (21/5/2020) to collect their direct cash assistance at the post office on Jl. Cihampelas in Bandung Wetan district, Bandung municipality, West Java.

In Central Java, police have set up 10 checkpoints to check the identities of residents traveling on mudik. Police had turned back 4,722 vehicles up to the 27th day of the police’s mudik ban operation.

The Jakarta administration on Friday started restricting the movement of people leaving and entering the special province. People attempting to leave or enter Jakarta are required to present their Jakarta Exit/Entry Permit (SIKM). Twelve checkpoints on the Jakarta border require travelers to present their SIKM.

“As of Friday, [travelers] must present the SIKM,” said Syafrin Liputo, the head of the Jakarta Transportation Office.

The travel restriction in the Jakarta region is stipulated in Gubernatorial Regulation No. 47/2020. People can apply for the SIKM on the corona.jakarta.go.id website.

In accordance with the regulation, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police traffic unit has seized 377 vehicles for violating the travel restriction during 24 April-20 May 2020. Meanwhile, the police have prevented 2,225 people from going on mudik.

Kompas

Indonesian migrant workers maintain physical distance while queuing for their health and immigration check on Thursday (21/5/2020) at the Batam Center International Ferry Port in Batam, the Riau Islands. Afterwards, the workers were placed in quarantine at the Tanjung Uncang Dormitory in Batam.

PSBB relaxation

Although the daily tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases has not started declining, the central government has already begun drafting a strategy for relaxing the PSBB. The government has promised to refer to the standards and recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) in devising its strategy.

National Development Planning Minister/National Development Planning Agency Head Suharso Monoarfa said that several requirements must be fulfilled before the PSBB could be eased for starting the “new normal”. One of these conditions is to lower the rate of infections to less than 1 percent, meaning that a region records no new cases of Covid-19 for a period of 14 consecutive days.

Easing the PSBB policy is not the right stance.

However, the government’s plan to ease the PSBB has drawn criticism from various circles. “Easing the PSBB policy is not the right stance. The fate of health workers and residents is at stake,” said chairman Agus Samsudin of the Muhammadiyah Covid-19 Command Center (MCCC).

In response to people traveling on mudik ahead of Idul Fitri, University of Indonesia epidemiologist Pandu Riono cautioned about the importance of complying with the PSBB policy. All elements in society should ready for life under the “new normal”. Different protocols on personal hygiene, good air circulation, the number of workers in a single room and forms of interaction should be reformulated.

(FRD/DIV/IKI/CAS/MED/NDU/REN/JAL/MEL/XTI/DNE/VAN/HLN/NTA)