DKI Provincial Government Rejects House of Representatives Proposal For Weekend Lockdown

JAKARTA - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, rejected the DPR's proposal to implement a regional quarantine (lockdown) on weekends in the capital city to suppress the transmission of COVID-19.

Riza said that currently, Jakarta is implementing micro restrictions on community activities (PPKM) with several restrictions. This is decided by the central government.

Meanwhile, the tightening of micro PPKM is that offices in the red zone are limited to 25 percent of capacity. Then the activity of eating on the spot in restaurants, cafes, to street vendors is limited to 25 percent.

These restrictions on operating hours and visitors also apply to malls or shopping centers. With the tightening of Micro PPKM, opening times are only allowed to open until 20.00 WIB. In addition, there are blockages at 10 road points in Jakarta.

"Our policy is to follow what the government has taken through the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Airlangga Hartarto, and Mr. Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Tito, who issued a policy. We follow, implement what has been decided by the central government", said Riza at DKI City Hall, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, 22 June.

Moreover, according to Riza, DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has issued an appeal for all people in Jakarta to stay at home on Saturday and Sunday.

"Yesterday, the governor said, Saturday-Sunday to stay at home. In the future, it will be the same. In an atmosphere where there is a fairly high spike in the capital, we ask that Saturday-Sunday people stay at home, not outside", he said

Previously, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, suggested that the government should do a lockdown in each region on the weekend. This is because many office activities do not operate on weekends.

"I propose to the government, because Saturday-Sunday the wheels of the economy, especially offices are closed, if possible large-scale social restrictions or say semi-lockdown for holidays, especially," said Dasco.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the House of Representatives of Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN) faction, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, also suggested that the government should lockdown on weekends. Because he feels that the implementation of PPKM has not been effective in suppressing the spread of COVID-19.

"What I offer is a weekend lockdown. After Friday afternoon, all people are not allowed to leave the house until Monday morning. So, Friday afternoon, then Saturday-Sunday until Monday morning no one came out", said Daulay.