The Government Should Not Hesitate To Apply The 2020 Homecoming Ban

Illustration of homecoming flow. (Photo: Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - The current government is still hesitant to issue an official stance to prohibit the public from going home before Eid Al-Fitr or Lebaran 2020. This is because all stakeholders are still in discussion with all parties related to this prohibition.

Director General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, Budi Setiyadi, said that the decision to ban homecoming is still determined by a limited meeting of the President with the ministers.

Even so, Budi emphasized that the echelon I ranks of the Ministry of Transportation agreed to ban this big activity once a year.

"There are stages. Until now we have made (appeal) to the public first. Because it is still in the Echelon I discussion facilitated by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs. However, there are discussions saying that this should be prohibited," said Budi, via video conference in Jakarta. , Friday, March 27th.

Budi said, if the agreement in the 2020 homecoming route is prohibited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then his party together with the Traffic Police Corps will prepare a scheme by closing the points of exit for travelers.

"It must be, for the blockages of travelers in Jabodetabek where they are closed or blocked by our officers, either TNI-POLRI or Kemenhub, that is, those who use toll roads, national roads or arterial roads. If they are already there, we will return them, "he said.

However, Budi admitted that he did not know the exact time for banning going home. Even so, this ban on going home is aimed at preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus from spreading to other areas in Indonesia.

"Then if there is a ban later, we have also prepared a scheme for when it will be banned. Yesterday there were various discourses. The date will be when D-7 or what," he explained.

The Government Must Be Firm

Transportation expert from the Faculty of Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, Muslich Zainal Asikin said the government had to make a decision regarding the 2020 homecoming ban. According to him, this is so that the public understands and transportation business actors can be prepared.

"There should be access restrictions because this transportation function is to carry out support for people's mobility. So the government should be strict, there are no facilities related to going home, including the possibility of closing toll roads and so on," he said, when contacted by VOI.

Zainal said there was no time for the government to be hesitant about this. This is because, in less than two months, the holy month of Ramadan and Eid will be entered. Where at that time, he said, was used by the community to return to their hometowns or homecoming.

"It should be firm, don't hesitate. When in doubt people will be confused. This involves a lot of things. There must be certainty, so that people do not get trapped in taking plans that are not implemented," he said.

According to Zainal, the ban on going home involves the mobility of the community and must be carried out from now on. Because, the government must also conduct socialization before the implementation of the ban so that the public understands.

"There is no crossing of people from one area to another, it can be at the discretion of the police and so on. So, so that we understand, I am a person who lives in Jakarta where I come from. I will stay in Jakarta and will not leave Jakarta at the time (moment). going home. There must be certainty, "he explained.

The chairman of the Indonesian Transportation Society Professional Council said the government could also impose sanctions on the public and transportation business actors who are still desperate to go home.

"Sanctions that can be more lenient. For example, train tickets are becoming more expensive. Why? Because train ticket subsidies have been lifted. Then for example the price of fuel, the government for some reason, uses a price that no longer uses subsidies. That can be called incentive and disincentive policies. So those who do not follow will be subject to disincentive policies. But those who obey then get incentives, "he explained.