Quarantine Rules Change Again, DPR Reminds Government To Have Clear Reasons For Implementing Policies

Illustration -hospital Wikimedia Commons/ Alberto Giuliani

JAKARTA - The government has again changed the rules by reducing the quarantine period for citizens returning from overseas trips. Currently, the quarantine for foreign travelers ranges from 7 to 10 days.

In the previous regulation, a 14-day quarantine period was applied to people who came from countries that had found cases of local transmission. The 10-day quarantine applies to people coming from other countries.

Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives Charles Honoris reminded that the government has clear reasons and grounds for making decisions and policies related to preventing COVID-19.

"The government must have a scientific rationale before issuing a policy. Don't just because of excessive fear," said Charles, Tuesday, January 4. The PDIP politician asked the government to improve the monitoring mechanism for the implementation of quarantine. Moreover, the government intended to implement quarantine to prevent the entry of Omicron variants through foreign travelers. Recently, there have been reports of illegal levies for quarantine participants who have just arrived from abroad.

"Reports of Indonesian migrant workers related to rampant extortion in quarantine places set by the government are evidence of irregularities in quarantine that must be evaluated," explained Charles. "So what needs to be added in quarantine is the supervision, not the day," he concluded. Previously, President Jokowi asked all ranks to supervise quarantine to the maximum. Jokowi even asked the State Intelligence Agency and the National Police to participate in supervising the quarantine.

This effort was made to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia, especially the Omicron variant. Moreover, recently there were reports from migrants that there were individuals who carried out extortion in the Quarantine.

Jokowi emphasized that there should be no dispensation regarding quarantine. This applies to any Indonesian citizen who has recently traveled abroad.

"I really ask, the main thing related to Omicron is the quarantine for those who come from abroad," said Jokowi, Monday, January 3.