The Government Considers Re-imposing Mandatory PCR For Travelers, Luhut: Don't Think We Are Inconsistent

ILLUSTRATION/SOEKARNO-HATTA AIRPORT/ANTARA HO AP

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan admitted that the government is considering re-implementing the mandatory PCR test requirements for travellers.

This he conveyed in a statement related to the results of the limited meeting of the PPKM evaluation chaired by President Joko Widodo.

"We will evaluate whether later we will re-implement the implementation of PCR. We are reviewing that," Luhut said in a Youtube video broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, November 8.

Previously, the mandatory PCR requirement had been applied in air travel. However, in the next few days, the government will remove this requirement and again allow travelers to use an antigen test as a condition for traveling. Therefore, Luhut asked the public to understand the changes in the rules for restricting mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Especially now that community mobility has increased again due to the loosening of PPKM leveling. Also, the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant with the Delta Plus type in neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore must be anticipated.

"Don't friends think that we are inconsistent. But we are calculating the movement of people and the increase in cases. This is now like science and art. So, deciding this is like a military operation. We will see carefully," explained Luhut.

"So, don't think anywhere, 'how does this change', it's not like that," he added.

For information, the mandatory PCR rules apply to passengers on domestic flights in the Java-Bali (PPKM Level 1-4) and outside Java-Bali (PPKM Level 4-3) areas, which have been in effect since October 24, 2021.

However, in recent times, this rule has sparked criticism from various circles. Until finally, the Government officially announced the abolition of the mandatory PCR test requirements for flight or air transportation travelers on Monday, November 1. Thus, the results of the rapid antigen test are again valid as a condition of travel.