The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Asks Indonesian Citizens To Postpone Travel Abroad Due To A New COVID-19 Mutation

Illustration / ANTARA

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) urges all Indonesian citizens to postpone departures abroad which are deemed not very important in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This appeal comes after a new mutation of COVID-19 was discovered in the UK recently.

"We appeal to Indonesian citizens that according to the appeal that the government has conveyed through the Foreign Minister to postpone overseas travel and this can be considered carefully," said Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cecep Herawan in a speech broadcast on the BNPB YouTube account, Tuesday, December 29. .

He confirmed that Indonesian Embassies abroad are indeed ready to help Indonesian citizens who experience difficulties on their way. However, Cecep assessed that it would be wiser if Indonesian citizens from within the country were willing to postpone their departure abroad amid the pandemic.

"Even though the Indonesian government through representatives abroad will always help Indonesian citizens who have problems on their way, it would be better if non-urgent overseas trips should be postponed until a more favorable time," he said.

Meanwhile, for Indonesian citizens who will enter Indonesia, there are a number of conditions that must be considered even though they are allowed. One of them is being able to show the results of a swab test using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method with a period of 2x24 hours.

"Then when they arrive, a PCR test will be carried out at the airport and they are required to be quarantined by the government so they are not in their own place. Thus they can still enter, but health protocols are implemented properly," he said.

Meanwhile, foreign citizens (WNA) who will enter Indonesia, he said, are asked to frequently access information that is often uploaded on the website of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"For foreigners to always open the information available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia because there are many provisions and regulations that must be followed if you are visiting Indonesia," he said.

Previously reported, the government decided to prohibit foreign nationals (WNA) from entering Indonesia for two weeks in early 2021.

"The limited cabinet meeting on December 28, 2020 decided to temporarily close from January 1 to 14, 2021, the entry of foreign nationals or foreigners from all countries to Indonesia," said Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in a press conference broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, 28 December.

Then, for foreigners who arrived in Indonesia from December 28 to December 31, they were still allowed to enter Indonesia with the same protocol provisions as Indonesian citizens, in the form of re-PCR tests and quarantine for five days.

This decision was made after the emergence of a new mutation from COVID-19 that was found in South Wales, England. The government hopes that this new virus will not worsen the development of handling COVID-19 in Indonesia.

Currently, the new virus has also attacked other countries such as Singapore, Nigeria, France, and South Korea.