Entrepreneurs Are Nervous About The 1812 Demo: Afraid That The PSBB Could Be Tightened Again

Demo 1812. (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - Businessmen who are members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) are worried about the 1812 demonstration by PA 212 at the State Palace, Central Jakarta. Because it has the potential to increase the transmission of COVID-19 cases.

Deputy Chairman of the DKI Jakarta Kadin Advisory Board Sarman Simanjorang said that what is worried by business actors when there is a demonstration or mass gathering is a new cluster which results in the spread rate increasing.

Furthermore, he said, if positive cases of COVID-19 were getting higher due to demonstrations, the government would further tighten community activities, and ultimately the business world would be affected.

"If this happens, of course our psychology will be even more worried, entrepreneurs. Because the impact is that business activities will be increasingly restricted. If the number of spread increases, there is a possibility that the government will impose a more stringent PSBB which will limit business operations," he said, to VOI, in Jakarta, Friday, December 18.

Sarman explained that if the 1812 Action did not heed health protocols and made the spread of COVID-19 even more massive, it would also slow down the economic recovery.

"As of today, the operating hours of malls, restaurants, cafes, entertainment centers have been limited to 19.00 WIB. Of course it really closes the increase in turnover of entrepreneurs during the Christmas and New Year holidays," he said.

Not only will business activities be increasingly restricted, said Sarman, what is also a concern for entrepreneurs is that the impact of the high number of COVID-19 cases will create uncertainty for the business world.

"Another impact of course adds to the uncertainty for the business world, including investors, of course, they will wait and see if conditions are not conducive," he said.

As is known, the 1812 demonstration demanding the release of the Grand Imam of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab took place in the area of the Arjuna Wiwaha Horse Statue, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta. Not only were they gathered, the protesters also appeared not to use masks properly and did not maintain their distance.

In response to this, the epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, assessed that this would create a high potential for transmission of COVID-19 in the crowd.

"Crowding has increased the spread. Moreover, not wearing masks, not keeping your distance. Yes, the transmission will be very high," said Miko when contacted by VOI, Friday, December 18.

Even so, he considered that nothing could be done to prevent similar demonstrations from being held. This is because people do have the right to express their opinion and this is regulated in law.