Batam City Government Restricts Community Activities During The Christmas-New Year Holiday

Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi/ANTARA

BATAM - The Batam City Government, Riau Islands, has restricted community activities during the Christmas and New Year holidays, from 24 December 2021 to 2 January 2022.

The regulation is contained in the Circular Letter of the Mayor of Batam Number 79 of 2021 based on the instructions of the Minister of Home Affairs No. 66 Year 2021.

Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi said Engku Putri Square and government-owned tourist attractions were closed to the public.

Activities that are not Christmas and New Year celebrations and create harmony can be carried out by implementing health protocols with a maximum of 50 people attending.

"Street vendors in crowded centers are still allowed, with strict health protocols," he said.

Worship activities and Christmas celebrations, he said, would still be carried out under the guidelines of the Ministry of Religion.

As for the New Year's Eve celebration, the Mayor recommended that it be done with family, by avoiding crowds and travel.

The government has also banned new year's parades and parades that have the potential to cause crowds.

Shopping centers are also not allowed to hold Christmas and New Year celebrations, except for MSME exhibitions.

The government has also limited the operating hours of shopping centers to 22.00 WIB, with the number of visitors at 75 percent of capacity.

Meanwhile, activities related to handling COVID-19 such as vaccination services, testing, tracing and treatment activities, as well as distribution of social assistance may be carried out with due observance of health protocols.

The government will impose sanctions ranging from administrative to closing restaurants, shopping centers and public transportation businesses that violate.

Likewise, individuals who violate, will be subject to sanctions in accordance with the Criminal Code Articles 212 to 218, Law No. 4 of 1984 concerning Infectious Disease Outbreaks, Law no. 6 of 2018 concerning Health Quarantine, and other related regulations.