DPR Which Is Still The Pros And Cons Of The Prohibition Of Eid Homecoming

Illustration - Residents go home or return to their hometown. (Photo: Fakhri Hermansyah / Antara)

JAKARTA - Although it has issued a ban on going home, the Government has not decided simultaneously the rules for this year's Eid homecoming.

This makes polemic still exist in society, including in parliament. DPR members consider the ban on homecoming important to reduce the rate of spread of COVID-19. On the one hand, the council thinks that the government should view homecoming as an economic activity.

The policy to prohibit going home has the support of a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission IX, Edi Wuryanto. According to him, going home is not a priority activity.

"I agree, homecoming is not a priority activity. Silaturahim is important, but it doesn't have to be face to face", said Edi, Monday, April 5.

Edi asked the government to be firm in dealing with the COVID-19 problem by controlling homecoming. He also asked the governor and regents to urge their citizens, not to homecoming.

"Governor, Regent must lead. If possible, we should postpone this homecoming first", he said.

Meanwhile, member of Commission V DPR RI, Sungkono, thinks that the Government needs to think about the policy to prohibit homecoming thoroughly. According to him, the public must get an explanation regarding the policy because there are still differences of opinion.

"Don't ban it today, it will be opened again tomorrow. People must also be given awareness to choose the Eid homecoming, whether it is urgent or not", said Sungkono, Monday, April 5.

He said, the government also needs to increase public awareness regarding the urgency of this year's Eid homecoming amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has not subsided.

According to the PAN politician, the public must be given an understanding that the ban on going home is an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

"It really has to become the awareness of the public at large", he reminded.

Both Edi and Sungkono agree that if they stay in touch with their families, it is enough to use video call technology.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the DPR RI Budget Agency Said Abdullah assessed that the COVID-19 pandemic did not necessarily make the government choose a shortcut by simply prohibiting going home.

"In fact, we must manage this momentum as an exercise to accustom the people to a new normal life. As has often been emphasized by the government itself", Said said in his statement, Monday, April 5.

According to the PDIP politician, public health recovery is now heading towards a better direction in line with the ongoing vaccination program. However, apart from the health aspect, he said, the economic aspect must also be considered.

"Our glasses should not only be horse eyes, only considering the restoration of people's health as the only basis for policy making. I am not arguing between the health and economic aspects of the people. But both are important things”, said Said.

Said said that Eid with its homecoming tradition is a cultural as well as an economic event. Especially in Java Island which contributes 58 percent of national GDP.

"The mobility of people from the city center as an economic center to their village or hometown during homecoming has a big impact. Economically, homecoming will boost household consumption levels because there will be many affected sectors", he said.

However, Said reminded that homecoming activities must be required by showing a negative COVID-19 swab result document for all homecoming people. Both on arrival and return.

"So, as long as it shows negative covid documents from PCR test results, rapid antigen and GeNose C19 tests, why is prohibited homecoming?", Said Said.

He said economic actors must also apply the health protocol that the COVID-19 task force has prepared in advance in their respective regions. Especially in areas that become homecoming crossings.

Therefore, he encouraged the accelerated implementation of vaccination against priority groups. "Especially in areas targeted for homecoming, as an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the homecoming destination", said Said.

Homecoming Prohibition is final

The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy firmly prohibits Eid homecoming activities which take effect from 6 to 17 May 2021.

"There is one day of leave with Eid al-Fitr, but no homecoming activities are allowed. Social assistance will be given", said Muhadjir through an online press conference, Friday, March 26.

Apart from collective leave, there is a national holiday for Eid Al-Fitr 1 Syawal 1442 H on May 13-14 and weekend holidays, Saturday-Sunday. This means that there are five consecutive holidays this Eid Al-Fitr this year.

Muhadjir admitted that Eid homecoming activities can move the economy. However, he said, going home in the midst of the corona virus pandemic could again increase positive cases of COVID-19 which had started to slope in recent months.

"The homecoming is fortunately moving people to move the wheels of the economy", Muhadjir said in a written statement, Monday, April 5.

Muhadjir said that if the COVID-19 cases soared again, the handling costs incurred by the government would not be comparable to the economic wheels that rotate during the Eid homecoming.

The former minister of education emphasized that this year's Eid homecoming ban is one of the government's efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

"Later if (the surge) in COVID occurs, the cost of handling the covid will not be sufficient from the economic benefits (during homecoming)", he said.

Provincial Government of DKI Waiting for Government Direction

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said he was still waiting for the central government's policy regarding the ban on going home this year. In fact, Anies did not want to take a decision first, which often sparked disputes with the central government.

Previously, in the period leading up to Eid 2020, Anies often made policies that were contrary to the central government, especially in the transportation sector or citizen mobility.

At that time, Anies decided to restrict people from entering and leaving Jakarta. However, in the end, because this policy could not be separated from the buffer zone, restrictions were imposed in Jabodetabek.

Then, Anies had issued a different regulation at the start of the pandemic regarding online motorcycle taxis. The Ministry of Transportation allows online motorcycle taxis to carry passengers and Anies does not.

Not only that, the policy of limiting the number of TransJakarta and Moda Raya Terpadu (MRT) passengers as well as reducing their operating time in DKI Jakarta, inter-provincial intercity bus (AKAP) operational stops, inter-provincial shuttle (AJAP) and tourism in Jakarta also had some gaps in understanding.

However, this time Anies said he would wait for the central government before issuing its own policy in the capital.

"We are waiting for directions from the central government", said Anies at the DKI Jakarta City Hall, Monday, April 5.

According to Anies, the ban on going home covers all regions, not only in Jakarta. Therefore, it is not only the capital city that can make their own regulations.

"Because this is the policy for the entire region not only about one area", said Anies.

The former Minister of Education and Culture stated that later policies from the central government would be his reference. He will make rules in line with what has been decided.

So we in DKI Jakarta are waiting for the issuance of regulations from the central government to become a reference for us to make provisions at the provincial level", he said.

Homecoming Rules from the Ministry of Transportation

Soon, the Ministry of Transportation will issue a regulation regarding transportation as a follow-up to the Eid homecoming ban.

This policy will later be outlined in the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation Control during Eid al-Fitr in 2021.

"We remain consistent in implementing the policy of prohibiting homecoming. Today we are finalizing the Permenhub which we will publish soon", said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, in his official statement, Sunday, April 4.

The prohibition on homecoming or returning to their hometowns during Eid moments will take effect from 6-17 May 2021. However, the government has also advised people not to travel outside the region, either before or after the date of the ban.

Budi explained that his staff continue to coordinate incentives with several agencies related to the drafting of the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation ban on Eid 2021 homecoming.

Starting from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, related Ministries or Institutions, TNI, and Police, to the local government level.

"So we reiterate that the decision to ban going home this year is final. For this reason, we ask the public not homecoming this year so that things that we do not want do not happen, namely a spike in COVID-19 cases", said Budi.

As is well known, after previously providing information that there was no ban on homecoming to this year's Eid al-Fitr, it turned out that in a short time, the policy changed drastically.

At a ministerial coordination meeting some time ago, the Coordinating Minister for PMK Muhadjir Effendy officially issued a letter containing the decision to eliminate Eid 2021 homecoming activities to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

This rule also applies to all of society, starting from the state civilian apparatus, TNI-Police, BUMN employees, private employees, and independent workers.