Ahead Of The PPKM Emergency Supermarkets In Batam Are Crowded With Residents, So They Don't Go Back And Forth To The Store They Say

JAKARTA - A number of supermarkets in Batam City were packed with local residents ahead of the emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) policy which began Monday, July 12.

The line for cashiers at the supermarket in the Grand Mall shopping center snaked long on Saturday. Residents push carts full of groceries, mostly food and drink.

"We are shopping for food stocks at home. We are worried that we will not be able to leave the house when the emergency PPKM is implemented," said Tiban resident Gino, quoted from Antara, Sunday, July 11.

He stated that he bought various kinds of snacks and fruit to be consumed during the emergency PPKM period.

"Let's not go back and forth to the store near the house, so just buy a lot of it," he said.

A resident of Batam Center, Hery, said that he only bought necessities for a week, in preparation for the emergency PPKM.

"Because we don't understand how the emergency PPKM will be implemented later. The shops around the house have been closed since the afternoon, so there must be sufficient stock," he said.

Based on Antara's observations, residents shopped in an orderly manner, not fighting over one particular ingredient because the supply seemed relatively sufficient.

Meanwhile, the Batam City Government imposed an emergency PPKM in accordance with the central government's instructions because the number of COVID-19 transmission in the local area was soaring.

Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi has not confirmed the timing of the implementation of the emergency PPKM in the local area.