The Rise Of People Ignoring Health Protocols, The Tourism Association Asks Anies To Withdraw The Transitional PSBB

Chairman of Visit Wonderful Indonesia or VIWI Board Hariyadi Sukamdani. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Visit Wonderful Indonesia or VIWI Board as an association of 18 national tourism industry associations has asked DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to lift the Transitional Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB). One of the considerations is because tourism has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairman of the VIWI Board, Hariyadi B Sukamdani, said that the business sector was badly hit due to the total PSBB and the transition due to activity restrictions which resulted in a decrease in people's interest and purchasing power. Of course, this condition leads to a decrease in industrial sector revenue as well as local taxes.

"VIWI Board asks not to impose restrictions on visitors and business operating hours. As well as asking the Governor of DKI Jakarta not to enforce PSBB anymore," he said, through a written statement received by VOI, Tuesday, November 17.

Hariyadi said that the business sector has so far had to survive by not laying off employees, bearing business overhead, bearing new normal costs, and restructuring finances in order to survive the prolonged pandemic era.

As of November 15, the increase in COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is still relatively high. DKI Jakarta is the province with the highest distribution center in Indonesia, amounting to 25.4 percent or 117,462 cases. He considered, the total PSBB until the transition had been carried out, but public awareness of the dangers of spreading this virus was still very low.

"This difficult business condition, unfortunately, is not accompanied by public awareness through mass gathering activities in the midst of the pandemic that is still there, they ignore the protocol and ignore the prohibition. However, there are no strict sanctions for these incidents," he said.

Meanwhile, said Hariyadi, the business sector has been obedient, obedient and ready with new normal health protocols. He said, the sector which contributed to the government through taxes should be given relaxation to do business.

The VIWI Board emphasized that the tourism business sector was the sector most affected by the pandemic, due to the prohibition on traveling, gathering and carrying out large activities.

This prohibition is certainly effective if all parties are aware of the importance of carrying out disciplined health protocols and enforcing strict law enforcement. So that this does not lead to an increase in cases due to the neglect of people who are free to carry out large activities.

"Even though not all provinces, cities, regencies in Indonesia implement the PSBB, DKI Jakarta remains a national economic parameter, this is felt by our members in various provinces in Indonesia, therefore we consider PSBB whatever its form has ended de facto," he explained .