Don't Want Diseases to Follow the Christmas-New Year's Homecoming, Barantin Strengthens Jakarta Water Patrol and Airport

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) has strengthened cross-sector coordination ahead of the 2025 Christmas and New Year 2026 (Nataru) holidays to increase preparedness and prevent the transmission of diseases that have the potential to enter through passengers' baggage in the Jakarta waters and airports.

Head of Barantin Sahat Manaor Panggabean said his party conducted patrols at a number of points, such as coastal waters and cargo ports in Jakarta, to anticipate the spread of the disease during the increase in community movement during the Christmas holiday.

"As the largest port in Indonesia, the Tanjung Priok and Marunda waters have a high level of complexity due to the many docks, including special terminals and terminals for their own interests. We want people's movement to be smooth, safe, and not to be a medium for spreading diseases," said Sahat in his statement in Jakarta, Antara, Tuesday, December 23.

The patrol and strengthening of cross-sector coordination are carried out to anticipate the potential entry and exit of commodities that risk carrying diseases. Patrol is focused on three to four inter-regional or inter-island port points, not on international ports.

According to Sahat, all quarantine officers in Indonesia are on alert for 24 hours to help people who travel home or go on vacation during the Christmas period.

He revealed that there are still many people who do not understand that certain goods, including animals and animal products, have the potential to become a medium for transmitting diseases if they are not equipped with valid quarantine documents.

Sahat gave an example of the ban on bringing meat from areas that are not free of disease to areas that are free of disease, such as from Java Island to East Nusa Tenggara or West Nusa Tenggara.

In addition, pets such as cats and dogs must be equipped with vaccination certificates, especially rabies.

"We ask the public to complete the documents. The quarantine system is now digital, the certificate can be out in minutes," he said.

In addition to patrols, Barantin also carried out direct education to the public and business actors at the port to be more obedient to the quarantine provisions. Sahat emphasized the role of quarantine not only as a border guard, but also as an economic instrument that supports the competitiveness and acceptance of Indonesia's flagship export products in the international market.

In the cross-sector coordination activities for the implementation of Nataru, Sahat also expressed his appreciation to the DKI Jakarta Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Headquarters (BBKHIT) for the initiation and implementation of cross-sector coordination.

The activity was attended by Tanjung Priok Customs, the Maritime and Coastal Guard Unit (KPLP), the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), and other related agencies in the Tanjung Priok Port environment as a form of synergy for integrated supervision at the country's entry point.

In addition to the port, the Head of the Barantin also reviewed the Nataru Integrated Post and the customer service area at the departure terminal of Halim Perdanakusuma Airport to ensure that the readiness of officers, facilities, and information services to the public runs optimally during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

"With strong synergy and mutual readiness, Barantin is committed to ensuring that quarantine services continue to run optimally during the Nataru period in order to protect national biological resources and public interests," said Sahat.