Government Extends PPKM Level 4, Traditional Market Traders Ask For Additional Capital

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The DPP of the Indonesian Market Traders Association supports the extension of the Level 4 restriction on community activities (PPKM). However, there are several notes regarding the traditional market sector that need attention from the government.

Head of the Information and Communications Division of the IKAPPI DPP Muhammad Ainun Najib said that in the emergency PPKM regulations there were points concerning traditional markets. Like traditional markets for basic needs will be allowed as usual.

Meanwhile, said Najib, traditional markets that sell other than basic needs are only allowed to open until 15:00 with a maximum capacity of 50 percent of visitors.

Meanwhile, street vendors (PKL), grocery stores, voucher agents or outlets, barbershops, laundry, hawkers, small workshops, vehicle washers, and other similar small businesses are allowed to open until 21.00.

Therefore, said Najib, there are several important notes from IKAPPI. The first is to encourage the acceleration of vaccination in traditional markets. So that herd immunity can be formed in traditional markets and ensure that traditional markets are a comfortable place for transactions.

"Secondly, Ikappi asks the regional government not to act arbitrarily or to be not arbitrary with the policies of each region that have been directed by the president," he said in his official statement, Monday, July 26.

This means, said Najib, that the opening of traditional markets must be thorough even though they are not traders who sell basic commodities, but they must still be opened with health protocols and operating hours.

Third, Ikappi asked local governments to strengthen health protocols by re-checking places for washing hands, soap, and other equipment.

Fourth, Ikappi also asked the local government to aggressively distribute masks because after all the conditions for traders are quite difficult to buy masks and use them every day.

"So we ask the local government to intensively disseminate the use of masks and at the same time carry out health protocols as directed by the President," he said.

Lastly, said Najib, Ikappi asked the central or regional government to collect data on traders who really need it in order to get incentives or get additional capital due to the slumping conditions over the past few months.

"We hope that this policy is taken seriously and implemented so that the regional economy can recover. And traditional markets will return to being a convenient place for transactions for the community," he said.

PPKM extended until 2 August

Previously, the government officially decided to extend the implementation of Level 4 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) until August 2.

"I have decided to continue implementing PPKM Level 4 from July 26 to August 2, 2021," said Jokowi in a video description posted on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Sunday, July 25.

This decision was taken after considering aspects of health, economy, and dynamics in the community.

In addition, Jokowi also mentioned that there had been a trend of improving the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. This can be seen from the decrease in the number of positive cases, the bed occupancy rate (BOR), to the positivity rate.

Even so, he reminded all parties to remain careful in responding to the trend of improvement that occurred.

"We must remain cautious in responding to this downward trend. We must remain vigilant against the highly contagious Delta variant," he concluded.