Three Orders From Luhut To Anies To Suppress COVID-19 Ahead Of The New Year

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan (Photo: Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan chaired the coordination meeting for handling COVID-19 in the province of special concern. A number of these provinces have quite high cases of COVID-19.

During the meeting, Luhut gave special orders online to DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan ahead of the long holidays of Christmas and New Year 2021.

First, Luhut asked Anies to tighten the work from home policy by up to 75 percent. Second, Luhut asked Anies to shorten the operations of malls and entertainment venues.

"I also asked the Governor to continue the policy of limiting operating hours to 19:00 WIB and limiting the number of people gathering at dining establishments, malls and entertainment venues," said Luhut in a written statement, Monday, December 14.

In this regard, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery asked Anies to facilitate the reduction of rental prices for shop houses in malls or shopping areas.

"Rental and service charge relief schemes (service fees) must be mutually agreed between shopping centers and tenants. Examples include prorate, profit sharing, or other schemes," he said.

Third, Luhut asked Anies to limit and prohibit activities that could potentially gather large numbers of people, such as religious celebrations and events. Luhut suggested that the activities could be carried out online.

Responding to this, DKI Governor Anies Anies Baswedan on the occasion emphasized that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has prohibited residents from celebrating Christmas and New Year which gather many people.

"We enforce this. I hope the same policy applies in one area of Jabodetabek," said Anies.