Holidays Have Been Shifted, No Christmas 2021 Joint Leave, COVID-19 Task Force: It Is Not To Violate Workers' Rights

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force (Satgas) Wiku Adisasmito said the government has shifted two holidays and abolished the 2021 Christmas holiday to prevent a spike in cases in the country.

Moreover, after a long holiday, spikes in COVID-19 cases often occur so this policy is not taken to violate workers' rights.

"The task force emphasizes that this decision is not intended to violate workers' rights, but merely as an anticipatory measure for the possibility of a spike in cases after a long holiday period", Wiku said in a written statement quoted on Wednesday, June 23.

Furthermore, Wiku also mentioned that the increase in COVID-19 cases also occurred after the Eid holiday. Thus, the government is currently trying to strengthen the application of Micro-scale Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) as regulated in the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs (Inmendagri) Number 14 of 2021.

In the instruction, a number of restrictions are carried out according to the risk zoning of the spread of COVID-19 in an area. Restrictions that apply in the red or high-risk zones are different from the orange, yellow, and green zones.

So that local governments must continue to monitor their own regional zoning and be more sensitive in reading trends. "If more than a week the zoning is still in the orange or red zone, then handling efforts such as PPKM must be evaluated", said Wiku.

Previously, the government decided to change two national holidays and abolish joint leave for celebrating Christmas 2021. This decision was taken in accordance with the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) taking into account that the pandemic was still happening and preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in the community.

"Mr. President has given directions for a review of the issue of public holidays and leaves that has so far been listed in the joint decree of the Ministry of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform (KemenPANRB), the Ministry of Manpower, and the Ministry of Religion", said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy in a press conference broadcasted online, Friday, June 18.

He explained that the two holidays that were changed were the Islamic New Year 1440 Hijri holiday which fell on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, changed to Wednesday, August 11, 2021.

The Prophet's Birthday Holiday on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, was changed to Wednesday, October 20, 2021. Meanwhile, the joint holiday for Christmas Day on December 24, 2021, was abolished.

The decision was made after the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture held a meeting with three relevant ministers, namely the Minister of Manpower, the Minister of Religion, and the Minister of PANRB. The meeting was held at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture.