Batam Hajj Dormitory Functioned As A COVID-19 Quarantine For PMI

BATAM - Batam Hajj Dormitory has again functioned as a COVID-19 quarantine location for Indonesian migrant workers who have just returned from Malaysia and Singapore who have not been confirmed positive for the Corona Virus.

Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad stated that he had asked the local PMI Repatriation Task Force to rationalize the capacity of the facility to the needs, to ensure that no virus spreads while foreign exchange heroes undergo quarantine.

"So tomorrow some of us will relocate to the Hajj Dormitory," said Governor Ansar Ahmad in Batam, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, January 12.

He stated that he had reviewed the Hajj Dormitory, and believed the needs there were complete.

However, if the quarantine facilities at the Batam Hajj Dormitory are still insufficient to accommodate PMI, the Bapelkes Building which is also in Batam has been prepared.

"If it's still not enough, we use Bapelkes. The point is not to let it happen because of our negligence in quarantine, when the last PCR test the number (confirmed positive for COVID-19) increased," said the Governor.

The governor said that so far no PMI has tested positive for COVID-19 with the Omicron variant.

Even so, he asked for anticipation to be carried out, among others, by setting up a COVID-19 variant detection facility at the Batam BTKLPP laboratory.

Then, his party also asked the government to add a molecular rapid test facility at the Batam Center Ferry Terminal, where PMI arrives, so that the results of the COVID-19 examination can be known more quickly with high accuracy.

In addition, his party also asked the Indonesian Consul General in Johor Bahru to limit the number of PMI arrivals entering Batam every day, to only one ship.

That way, it will be easier to check for COVID-19 tests at the ferry terminal, as well as to implement and supervise quarantines.

He also hopes that the government will open another door of arrival for PMIs who want to enter the country, apart from Batam.

"We recommend that the Dumai door be opened so that our burden is not heavy, control is easier," he said.