Bantul Regent Calls Loose Mask Rules In Open Areas Early Policy Towards Endemic

Bantul Regent, Abdul Halim Muslih. (Between)

BANTUL - The Regent of Bantul, Abdul Halim Muslih, said that the loosening of the mask regulation which was conveyed by President Jokowi was the opening of an even more relaxed policy towards a number of sectors.

"The President's speech that today we can start removing masks in the open, not in a closed place. This marks the existence of greater concessions that will be opened by the government," said the Regent in Bantul, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY), quoted from Between, Friday 20 May.

According to the Regent, the loosening of the mask policy shows that economic, educational, social and cultural activities are transitioning from a pandemic to an endemic. Even so, he said, local governments are still waiting for government instructions.

"But we are still waiting for further instructions, that's just the President's speech, the written instructions haven't been available until today, but the point is that we will enter a normal world, will enter a normal life," he said.

Therefore, the Regent hopes that the community and various parties who have been 'sluggish' (lazy to move) for the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic will wake up immediately, as well as those who have been 'sleeping' for the past two years, then wake up.

"Because we will start economic activities to overcome the impact of the pandemic, including unemployment poverty, with this concession we will be able to overcome unemployment poverty, we will fix it, and the regional government really welcomes this," he said.

The Regent said, the Regency Government had taken the first step by contacting several important stakeholders who could be invited to collaborate to rise together to overcome the impact of the pandemic and move together in efforts to recover the economy.

"In recent days I have contacted several large entrepreneurs who have been stagnant for the past two years, or their productivity has decreased. We will encourage this to develop in the community, make partnerships with the community," he said.